Raising Georgia
by MariCareBear
Summary: When Sherry and Christopher die they leave Georgia to Rory, Rory must learn quickly how hard it is to raise a 7-year-old on her own while coping with her own problems upon her return to Stars Hollow. Completed
1. Previously on Gilmore Girls

This story is set six years in the future and this chapter is to get you set up for the first chapter.   
  
Previously On Gilmore Girls:  
  
"Rory you have a telephone call on line seven."   
  
"Can it wait Caroline?" Rory asks into the box the receptionists voice is hear through, "I won't to get this article finished before my lunch break."  
  
"Rory, whoever it is says that it's an emergency."  
  
Rory sighs, "all right, I'll take it. Hello, Rory Gilmore, how may I help you?"  
  
"Rory it's Maureen Rollins, Sherry's friend, we've met before."  
  
Annoyance passes over Rory's features, curious as to what party she is about to be invited to, "yes, Maureen, of course, how can I help you?"  
  
"Rory there has been an accident, how quickly can you be Boston Memorial?" Maureen's words are urgent.  
  
"Umm..."  
  
"Listen Rory, your father, step-mother and Georgia were in an accident, how quickly can you be here?" The urgency in Maureen's words grow.  
  
Rory takes a deep breath, "I can be there in two hours."  
  
"Good, hurry."  
  
"Lorelai Gilmore, I don't mean to but I love you."  
  
Lorelai states stunned at Luke stunned, "you love me?" But before she can say anything else her cell phone interrupts them and when the ringing doesn't go away she answers it, "Rory can I call you later? I'm kinda in the middle of somethin' here. Hang on, slow down." There is a long pause as Lorelai listens into her phone, "all right, all right, I'll be there as soon as I can." Turning to Luke she sighs, "I have to..."  
  
Luke nods, "go."  
  
A doctor comes out to greet the small crowd assembled waiting for news and Rory grips Lorelai's hand tightly as the doctor's head drops, "I'm sorry there was nothing we could do for Christopher or Sherry, but the little girl, Geogia, is in stable condition. I'm truly sorry there was nothing more we could do." Lorelai wraps her arms tightly around Rory as she cries.  
  
Lorelai clears her throat, "excuse me?"  
  
"Miss Gilmore," the lawyer gestures toward Rory, "is Georgia's next of kin and Christopher and Sherry clearly left Georgia to her Lorelai Gilmore."  
  
All right, well look for the first chapter coming soon! 


	2. Getting to know Georgia

Chapter One:  
  
"Lane, you didn't have to come all the way up here." Rory states as she stares anxiously out her front window for what seems to be the millionth time in the last 30 minutes.  
  
"Your Mom asked me if I wanted to come up with her, she was coming anyway it's no big deal." Lane responds.  
  
"But you have a baby at home." Rory turns to face her best, and oldest, friend despite the fact that Lane still lived in Stars Hollow with her nice Korean husband and Rory was single in New York City they were still the best of friends. Despite the fact that Lane had always rebelled from what her mother wanted both girls had ended just the way their mother's were happy with. Rory was independent and free in New York City, with a job she loved and no serious love interest to tie her down. While Lane had met and married a nice Korean boy her mother hadn't set her up with, they'd met at a concert and were married four months later and Lane had given birth to a baby boy only 4 months ago.  
  
Lane waves her friend off, "Teague and T.J. are at home, they are fine. Do you really think I would be here to lend support when you are beginning the adventure of parenthood?"  
  
"I'm scared Lane," Rory finally admits dropping onto the couch.  
  
"You'll do fine Rory," Lane assures, "it's not like you don't know anything about kids."  
  
"I know some, but I don't know enough to raise a kid. I mean, don't get me wrong she's my sister and I love her..."  
  
Lorelai suddenly appears from the kitchen, "you'll be fine Sweets and if you need anything I can be here whenever you need me."  
  
"You could always come back to Stars Hollow for awhile, until you get adjusted," Lane suggests carefully.  
  
The look on Rory's face immediately shuts Lane up and she responds, "we've had this discussion I can not go back to Stars Hollow, that's not an option."  
  
Lorelai places a comforting hand on Rory's shoulder but before she can offer any words she jumps up, "I think the social worker is here with Georgia."  
  
Rory peers out a window and can see her younger sister with a middle aged woman who has her hand on Georgia's back and is guiding her to the apartment building entrance. "Do I look all right?" Rory faces her mother and best friend, she was wearing a simple pair of new jeans and a tank top to ward off the New York heat and humidity.  
  
"You look fine." Lorelai assures.  
  
Within minutes the doorbell rings and Rory hurries over to the door and quickly opens it to reveal the sister she barely knows and the social worker she had spoken to on the phone earlier. "Lorelai Gilmore?" The social worker has a soft English accent.  
  
Rory nods, "yes, we spoke on the phone. Hi Gigi."  
  
"Don't call me that." Georgia requests softly, "that's my Mommy's nickname for me."  
  
Rory nods, "all right, Georgia it is."  
  
"All right Georgia," the social worker smiles, "I'll be in touch, be good for your sister, all right?"  
  
Georgia nods, "I will."Once the woman has let herself out Georgia asks, "did you get all my stuff?"  
  
Rory nods, "it was all sent over yesterday, I haven't unpacked any of it, I figured that would be something we could do later."  
  
Georgia nods, "all right."  
  
Rory takes in Georgia's red with white polka dot skirt and matching red halter top, "did you want to change into something more comfortable? I thought we could go out to get something to eat, maybe show you some of the city."  
  
"This is fine." Georgia adjusts her skirt, "I've seen the city, Mommy used to bring me all the time, but I am hungry."  
  
Rory nods, "all right." Realizing that she hasn't introduced Lane or her mother she turns to face them, "Georgia this is my best friend Lane Yong, and my mother Lorelai."  
  
"Pleased to me meet you." Georgia whispers.  
  
"Do you guys want to come eat with us?" Rory asks.  
  
Lorelai and Lane both shakes their head and Lorelai responds "I should get back to the inn, it's busy with tourist season and everything."  
  
"I should get home too." Lane adds, "to take care of the baby."  
  
"All right, well thank you guys for coming." Rory hugs her mother and Lane before they all leave the apartment. Once they are on the street Rory asks, "what are you in the mood for?"  
  
Georgia shrugs, "I don't know."  
  
"Do you want to go get burgers or something?" Rory asks.  
  
Georgia shakes her head, "I'm a vegetarian."  
  
Rory nods, "right, I'm sorry I forgot." Suddenly Rory is struck with a memory of the strict diet Sherry had Georgia on. Rory bites her lip in thought, she didn't know where there was a health food restaurant, she'd never eaten at one and hadn't intended on ever eating at one. "How about we stop at a diner up here that I eat a lot, and I am sure that we can find something for you to eat there. Plus they have milkshakes."  
  
"I've never had one." Georgia states simply.  
  
Rory stares shocked at her young sister, "ever?"  
  
Georgia shakes her head, "never, I drink a lot of milk but I've never had ice cream or a milkshake before."  
  
Rory grabs Georgia's hand and quickly leads her down the street, "that is something we are going to fix right now."  
  
"French fries?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Onion rings?"  
  
"No."  
  
Rory shakes her head sadly, "all right I know exactly what you can get."  
  
"What?" Georgia looks curiously.  
  
"Are you ready to order?" The waitress stands at their table before Rory can respond to Georgia's question.  
  
Rory nods, "we'd both like a triple thick chocolate malt shakes, we'd like to start out with a sampler and we'll both have the deluxe burgers, hers with a boca burger instead."  
  
"All right." The waitress finishes writing down their orders and then moves away from the table.  
  
"So what do you think?" Rory asks as Georgia seems to revel in the food in front of her.  
  
"It's so..." The girls seems to search for a word as she sets down her burger with the special sauce dripping down the side.  
  
"Yummy?" Rory offers.  
  
Georgia nods enthusiastically, "yes!"  
  
"So when we get home do you want to unpack then?" Rory asks, "or we can do it tomorrow, or we don't have to do it any time soon, it's your choice."  
  
"Really?" Georgia asks, "I get to choose?"  
  
Rory nods, "of course, it's your room."  
  
"Can we do it tomorrow?" Georgia asks.  
  
"Sure thing."  
  
"Don't you own any jeans?" Rory asks as she helps Georgia hang her clothes in her closest.  
  
Georgia shakes her head, "my mommy didn't think that girls should wear jeans."  
  
"But you have lots of pants." Rory points out.  
  
"I know she just didn't like denim." Georgia states.  
  
"So you always look this dressed up?" Rory comments on Georgia's pink halter dress.  
  
Georgia nods, "yes. My mother always picked my clothes out for me and made sure that I looked dressed up all the time."  
  
"How about we go shopping later this week and you can pick out any clothes you want."  
  
"Anything I want?" Georgia asks.  
  
Rory nods, "your choice." When the phone rings Rory motions to it under the stack of clothes she is balancing, "Georgia could you get that?"  
  
"I'm not allowed to answer the phone." Georgia responds.  
  
"It's all right, you are here." Rory insists.  
  
Georgia shrugs, "all right. Hello? Oh, hello. Yeah she's right here, hang on." Covering the mouth piece Georgia informs, "it's your mom."  
  
Rory sets down the piles of clothes, "can you keep hanging those up and I'll be right back when I get off the phone." Walking out of the bedroom Rory greets, "hey Mom."  
  
"How are you Rory?" Lorelai greets.  
  
"I'm good, I've been busy." Rory responds, "I had to introduce Georgia to just about every good food there is in this world. She's never had ice cream in her life."  
  
Lorelai gasps lightly, "wow, you do have you work cut out for you. What are you doing now?"  
  
"We're trying to get her room all set up, going through her clothes and stuff." Rory responds.  
  
"When do you start back at work?" Lorelai asks.  
  
"I was supposed to start back on Monday but I can't find anyone to stay with Georgia, and she's way to young to leave alone, so I took another week off. But I don't know what I am going to do if I can't find someone to stay with her, I can't afford to take anymore time off."  
  
"I could always come up for awhile." Lorelai suggests.  
  
"No, you can't, you have the inn to run." Rory insists, "besides I'll figure something out. Besides it's just until school starts. At the local academy."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Sherry had money set aside specifically so that Georgia could go to a private school, it can't be touched for anything else." Rory sighs, "I have no choice but to send her to private school."  
  
"Poor thing." Lorelai sighs, "to be doomed to a place like Chilton her whole life. I've got to get to the inn I just wanted to call and check in, if you need anything..."  
  
"I know Mom, thanks."  
  
On the next Gilmore Girls:  
  
"Rory is everything all right?" Lorelai asks her daughter over the phone.  
  
"Can I stay with you for awhile?"  
  
"I thought you weren't coming to Stars Hollow?" Lorelai questions.  
  
"I know, I don't want to, but I don't have much of a choice. I can't afford to live in New York, take care of a little girl and work. It's just for the summer, once school starts Joan says I can have my job back at the paper." 


	3. Complications

Chapter Two  
  
"Rory could you come in here?" Joan, Rory's boss, calls as she walks by her open office door with Georgia in tow.  
  
"All right, I'll be right in." Turning to Georgia she suggest, "why don't you take the book I just bought you into my office and I'll be right in."  
  
"All right." Georgia nods skipping off in the brand new jean overalls she had picked out for herself the day before.  
  
"What's up Joan?" Rory asks, she had a lot of respect for the woman who had started and ran the newspaper Rory worked for.  
  
"We need to talk, why don't you sit down." Joan motions toward the chair across from her desk.  
  
"Is something wrong?" Rory asks taking the offered seat.  
  
"I hope not," Joan states, "I understand you are going through a lot right now, with having to take on your sister and everything. I understand what a change that must be for you, and I know it has complicated your life considerably."  
  
"I know I shouldn't be bringing her to work, but I've tried to find a sitter but even two weeks into the summer and all of the good sitters are all ready taken. I'm just concerned with leaving her with someone I don't trust, she's all ready been through so much."  
  
Joan nods, "I understand Rory, I really do."  
  
Rory lets out a deep breath, "thank you."  
  
"But I think you should take some time away from work until you have your life settled in. I've noticed a decline in your work and while I understand the reasons behind it I can't accept this work. We are a business, after all."  
  
"Joan..."  
  
"Rory I assure you that you will have a job when you come back, you are my most promising writer and the paper is better with you, when we have your full attention."  
  
"Joan..."  
  
"Rory sweetie," Joan takes a deep breath, "I'm not really suggesting anything here. Why don't you give me all call when she starts back at school, when you have more time for yourself?"  
  
Rory runs a hand through her short hair, "all right, thank you for everything Joan."  
  
"Rory, I'm truly sorry about this."  
  
Rory nods, "no I understand you don't have to apologize."  
  
"Call me."  
  
Rory nods again, "I will."  
  
"Did you get a new article assignment?" Georgia asks when Rory walks into her office.  
  
Rory shakes her head and forces a smile, "actually my boss offered me the summer off, until you start school so we can spend time together."  
  
Georgia grins, "really?"  
  
Rory nods, "yes."  
  
Georgia wraps her arms around Rory's waist, "we are going to have so much fun."  
  
"Rory is everything all right?" Lorelai asks her daughter over the phone.  
  
"Can I stay with you for awhile?"  
  
"I thought you weren't coming to Stars Hollow?" Lorelai questions.  
  
"I know, I don't want to, but I don't have much of a choice. I can't afford to live in New York, take care of a little girl and work. It's just for the summer, once school starts Joan says I can have my job back at the paper."  
  
"Rory, I'm so sorry." Lorelai sighs, "of course you can come stay with me, we'll make room here. If this is what you want."  
  
"This is my only option." Rory sighs softly, hoping that Georgia who had just gone to bed can't hear her. "There's no way I can keep my apartment without the pay I was getting at the paper. I'm sure I can find some work in Stars Hollow, just for the summer, is Luke hiring? I don't want anything that will take up a lot of my time."  
  
"I'm not actually sure." Lorelai's voice sounds weird at the confession.  
  
"Could you ask him for me?" Rory asks.  
  
"If I see him."  
  
"If you see him..." Rory echoes her mother's words, "are you guys fighting?"  
  
"No, we're not fighting."  
  
"Then what's going on?"  
  
"It's nothing Rory." Lorelai insists, "really."  
  
"No, you see Luke several times everyday, why would that stop?"  
  
"He's not speaking to me." Lorelai responds.  
  
"Why?" Rory asks suspiciously.  
  
"Rory you have so much going on..."  
  
"Mom, what's going on with you and Luke?"  
  
"Well, he confessed his love for me the day of Chris' accident. I didn't get a chance to say anything else because I met you at the hospital and he's been avoiding me since."  
  
"You and Luke haven't been speaking for three weeks and you didn't see fit to tell me?" Rory asks.  
  
"Rory it's not that big of a deal. But there's something that might be." Lorelai's sigh is audible.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You can't work at the diner."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Jess is back."  
  
Rory's mouth goes dry and she attempts to swallow against the lump in her throat, "Jess."  
  
"He's been back for awhile, but you always refused to come back to Stars Hollow so I didn't think that you needed to know he was back, since you would never see him."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"If you don't want to come to Stars Hollow now that he's here, you can always go stay with your grandparents, I'm sure they would be very happy to have you and Georgia for awhile."  
  
"No." Rory clears her throat, "I've been trying to get Georgia out of the mentality Sherry put into her, living with Grandma would only put it back into her and I've only just gotten her to loosen up."  
  
"Rory."  
  
"We'll be there the end of next week." Rory states firmly, "I'm fine Mom, really."  
  
"You're sure?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Rory stands up and stretches, she had just finished packing up the dishes and all she had left before she left for Stars Hollow in the morning was her closet, the one area she had been dreading to pack. Slowly she walks into her bedroom, but she quickly packs her clothes and shoes until she comes to the back of her closet where there is a large yellow box that hadn't been opened in three years. Rory carries the box over to her bed and carefully lifts the lid off, the smell of baby powder invading her senses the instant the top is off and Rory is forced to hold back her tears. Carefully she runs her fingers over the contents of the box inside lay a newborn starter kit given to her by her mother. The first thing she pulls out is a pink layette, lifting the small outfit to her cheek she gently rubs the soft material against her cheek and slow tear slips down onto the cloth and lying down on the bed she holds it close, crying herself to sleep.  
  
"Rory! Rory! Wake-up!" Georgia's voice can be heard from the other side of Rory's door as the sun starts to stream through Rory's bedroom window.  
  
Jumping up Rory quickly puts the pink baby layette back into the box, puts the lid back on and quickly puts it into the box with her shoes. "I'm coming Georgia."  
  
"When are the movers going to be here?" Georgia asks once Rory has opened the bedroom door.  
  
Rory glances behind her at her bedside clock, "in 30 minutes, so let's both get dressed quick so we'll be ready when they are here." Rory had two sets of movers coming, a small truck to take all the necessities to her mother's house and a larger one to take everything to storage until they came back once the summer was over.  
  
Once Rory had changed completely her cell phone rings, "hey Mom." Rory greets.  
  
"Hey, you're sure you want to take the train here?" Lorelai asks.  
  
"Yes, Georgia's never taken the train before, I want her to experience it." Rory states.  
  
"Because I can be there to pick you up in no time, it'll be faster this way."  
  
"This is fine Mom, Georgia and I will meet you for pizza at 7:30, all right?"  
  
"All right, pizza at 7:30."  
  
By the time the train ride was an hour I Rory was wishing she had taken her mother's offer to come and get them. She had a headache from crying the night before and she had fallen asleep in a position that had resulted in a pain in her neck. "Rory," Georgia looks up from the book she was reading, she was turning into a bookworm like Rory had been at her age after discovering Rory's book collection.  
  
"Yes?" Rory turns to face her sister.  
  
"I'm hungry." Georgia informs.  
  
"All right, how does peanut butter and jelly sound?" Rory asks.  
  
"Good."  
  
Rory hands Georgia one of the sandwiches and takes one for herself, "I made them myself."  
  
"Rory?"  
  
"Yeah, Georgia."  
  
"Does your Mom hate too cook like you do, or are we going to be eating at home more?"  
  
"My Mom is the one who taught me to order out, if anything we'll be eating out more."  
  
Georgia grins, she loved eating out, "cool."  
  
One the next Gilmore Girls:  
  
"Can I get one large pizza with everything on it?" Rory requests.  
  
"It'll be 15 minutes." The teenager behind the counter states.  
  
"All right thanks," Rory digs into her purse and turning around she calls, "Georgia, why don't you..."  
  
"Rory." Jess cuts off Rory's suggestion.  
  
"Jess..." 


	4. Greetings & Revelations

Chapter Three  
  
"This is where you grew up?" Georgia asks holding Rory's hand tightly as she stares at the small town the cab had just dropped them off at, she'd opted for the faster cab from the train station instead of the bus because her headache had no eased up.  
  
"Yup, this is Stars Hollow." Rory states.  
  
"It's so little." Georgia comments.  
  
"Rory!" Rory's attention is grabbed my Miss Patty hurrying to them.  
  
"Hi Miss Patty." Rory greets as she wraps Rory into a big hug.  
  
"Your mother said you would be back in town for the summer and this must be your little sister, right?"  
  
Rory nods, "Miss Patty this is Georgia, Georgia this is Miss Patty, she lives here."  
  
"Pleased to meet you." Georgia offers her hand for Miss Patty to shake but Miss Patty pulls Georgia into a tight hug.  
  
"She was very friendly." Georgia comments as Miss Patty heads back to her studio.  
  
"You'll find that most of the people in this town are." Rory states, "come on let's get some pizza."  
  
"OK!" Georgia responds cheerfully, for a girl who had never had pizza a month before it had quickly become her favorite food.  
  
Walking into the pizza place of her childhood Rory can't help but notice that it is fairly full, but mostly with teenagers Rory doesn't recognize with the exception of one blonde girl who is no longer a teenager. "Oh my God, Rory what are you doing Stars Hollow?" Clara Forester comes flying up to Rory.  
  
"Clara," Rory hadn't thought about Dean's younger sister in years. "How are you?"  
  
"I'm good, I'll be a senior in college next year, and I'm getting married in a month. How are you. Your mom said you were living with your sister now."  
  
Rory nods, "yeah."  
  
Clara smiles, "that's cool. I should go, I was just picking up a pizza to take home, I'll see you around."  
  
"Sure," Rory nods and then quickly stops Clara, "have you see my mom tonight?"  
  
Clara shakes her head, "nope, sorry."  
  
Rory nods, "it's fine, I'll see you around." Rory walks up to the counter figuing she might as well order if her mom was running late, "Can I get one large pizza with everything on it?" Rory requests.  
  
"It'll be 15 minutes." The teenager behind the counter states.  
  
"All right thanks," Rory digs into her purse and turning around she calls, "Georgia, why don't you..."  
  
"Rory." Jess cuts off Rory's suggestion.  
  
"Jess..."  
  
"I didn't know you were back in town." Jess states staring between Rory and Georgia who has just appeared at Rory's side, ready to take the money Rory was about to offer.  
  
"Yeah," Rory takes a deep calming breath, "just for the summer. I'm uh, staying with my mother for awhile."  
  
"Oh." Jess shifts uncomfortably in front of Rory. "So how, uh, have you been."  
  
"Fine, you?"  
  
"Fine."  
  
"I have to go to the bathroom." Georgia's comment takes attention away from Jess and Rory's uncomfortable non-conversation.  
  
"All right, I'll show you where it is. It was, um, nice to see you again Jess."  
  
While Georgia uses the bathroom Rory splashes cool water on her face, hoping that Georgia won't notice that she has gone pale and is on the verge of tears. Quickly drying off her face Georgia comes out to washer face stating, "that guy was cute. But you didn't like him."  
  
"How do you know?" Rory asks the small blonde.  
  
"You had a funny look on your face." Georgia comments.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"How come you don't like him?" Georgia inquires.  
  
"Because," Rory bites her lip, "well Jess and I used to go out."  
  
"And you broke up?" Georgia asks.  
  
Rory nods, "yeah."  
  
"Oh, that makes sense." Georgia responds and Rory is glad for Georgia's seven-year-old level of thinking.  
  
"Why don't we go out and see if my mom is here yet?" Rory suggests.  
  
Georgia nods, "all right, I'm starving." She slips her hand into Rory's as they walked to their booth table just as Lorelai walks into the restaurant.  
  
An hour later Georgia has eaten a piece and a half of pizza and plopped herself on Rory's lap, her arms wrapped around Rory's neck and fallen asleep. "So Jess was here?" Lorelai asks.  
  
Rory nods, "I literally ran into him in line. He seemed to feel the same way about running into me as I did."  
  
"I'm really sorry Ror, I didn't even get a chance to tell Luke you were back in town so he could pass the message along to Jess." Lorelai responds.  
  
"So you and Luke still aren't speaking?"  
  
Lorelai shakes her head, "he's still avoiding me, I did go to the diner to talk to him but he disappeared into the kitchen. I tried following him back there but Caesar wouldn't let me through."  
  
"I'm sorry Luke's been..." Rory's attention is caught of Lorelai's head, "avoiding you."  
  
"What?" Lorelai asks at the change of Rory's tone, turning around she faces Luke.  
  
"Jess said you were back in town but I didn't believe him." Luke suddenly stands at the table and he hugs Rory, moving back embarrassed he states, "well welcome back."  
  
"Hi Luke." Rory smiles at Luke, she had missed him in the years she hadn't come home.  
  
"Hi Luke." Lorelai echoes.  
  
"Oh Lorelai hi, well I need to get back to work."  
  
"Luke..." Lorelai exclaims exasperated.  
  
"I really do, I left Jessica in charge and you know she can barely walk and chew gum at the same time."  
  
"Luke..."  
  
"I'll talk to you later." With his words Luke hurries out of the restaurant.  
  
"You weren't kidding," Rory comments, "he really is avoiding you."  
  
Lorelai sighs, "it's driving me crazy."  
  
"Well maybe you should tell him how you feel."  
  
"How I feel?"  
  
"Well you love him to don't you?" Rory asks.  
  
"Of course no..." Lorelai stops, "well since he said it I'm not sure. You think I love him?"  
  
"I think you've loved him for a long time. That's why you couldn't make it work with anyone else." Rory states.  
  
"I haven't..." Lorelai stops mid-sentence again, "have I?"  
  
Rory smiles at her mother in response and then states, "we should probably get to the house so I can get her to bed."  
  
Lorelai nods, "the moves got everything here earlier today I moved it all into your old room, are you sure you and Georgia will be comfortable sharing a room."  
  
Rory nods, "we'll be fine, but thanks."  
  
"She really is precious Rory, you lucked out." Lorelai comments as they walk home, Rory carrying Georgia.  
  
Rory nods, "I was kind of worried she would be a brat, but she's not. Don't get me wrong, she does have her moments where you just have to stay out of her way, but other than that she's pretty easy to get along with."  
  
Lorelai nods, "then this living arrangement shouldn't be a problem. Oh, I forgot I talked to Taylor and he has been meaning to start a new town bulletin and when I told him that you'd be home for the summer he kind of assumed that you would do it for him."  
  
Rory smiles, it seemed like by the morning everyone would forget she had been gone for years, "sounds like something I might actually enjoy Taylor volunteering me for."  
  
Lorelai nods, "that's why I didn't try to get you out of it."  
  
"Right now I just want to sleep though."  
  
"You look exhausted."  
  
"I didn't sleep well last night, packing things up, you know."  
  
"Well let's get home and get some sleep, I'm sure you'll have lots of visitors tomorrow." Lorelai comments. "Everyone wants to meet Georgia too."  
  
On the next Gilmore Girls:  
  
"Rory I heard you were back in town."  
  
"Hey Dean," Rory glances at the 3 children around him, "how are you?"  
  
"Are we going to keep doing this?" Rory stares at Jess.  
  
"I guess for as long as we're in the same town, I guess I'll take off for the summer visit my Dad or something." 


	5. Welcome

Chapter Four  
  
"Wake up," Lorelai and Georgia's voice can be heard through Rory's old bedroom door.  
  
"What's going on?" Rory asks yawning when she pulls her door open."  
  
"We're going to breakfast!" Georgia declares.  
  
"Where?" Rory questions rubbing her eyes.  
  
"Luke's." Lorelai declares firmly, "I've got to have a serious talk with Mr. Danes."  
  
"Who's Mr. Danes?" Georgia questions.  
  
"That's Luke, you'll meet him." Rory responds, "just let me get dressed and we can leave, all right?"  
  
"Yeah, hurry, we'll be waiting." Lorelai states as she ushers Georgia out of the bedroom and back into the kitchen.  
  
When Rory emerges from her bedroom she finds Georgia eating a bag of Gushers, "where did you get those?" Rory questions turning to a guilty faced Lorelai.  
  
"What?" Lorelai shrugs, "she was hungry."  
  
"Let's go." Rory rolls her eyes.  
  
The walk to Luke's was as familiar to Rory as if she hadn't stopped doing it for a long period of time, she still called out hellos to people as if she had seen them yesterday not what seemed to be forever ago. Walking into Luke's seemed just as familiar with Luke behind the counter taking Kirk's breakfast order. When Luke looks up to see who has entered he turns to move back into the kitchen but Lorelai reaches him first.  
  
"You and I are going to have a talk mister, if it's the last thing either one of us does." Lorelai orders gripping onto Luke's shirt.  
  
Rory and Georgia exchange glances and Georgia bursts into a fit of giggles, "she's silly."  
  
Rory nods, "that she is."  
  
"Can I help you?" A girl with frizzy red hair, who must be Jessica, asks once Rory has taken a seat with Georgia, after Luke and Lorelai have disappeared in the back.  
  
"Yes, I'll have a cup of coffee and she will have..." Rory allows herself to trail off so that Georgia can order for herself."  
  
"Chocolate milk." Georgia responds.  
  
"And my mother will have a coffee as well."  
  
"Oh! You must be Lorelai's daughter." Jessica exclaims.  
  
Rory nods, "yes, I'm Rory."  
  
"You're like a legend around here." Jessica states.  
  
"Im a huh?" Rory asks.  
  
"Everyone talks about you around here. Your mom and Luke are constantly bragging about everything you do, especially now that you've taken to raising your sister."  
  
Rory's eyes go wide, "oh."  
  
"And Jess gets this far off look in his eyes whenever..."  
  
"Jessica, shouldn't you be getting back to work?" Luke barks after he comes thudding down the stairs.  
  
"Yes, sir." Jessica quickly hurries away to place their order.  
  
Lorelai appears down the stairs just after Luke but the two avoid contact and Lorelai hurries over to her daughter, "I need to get going, apparently Luke and I can't work things out just yet. Stop by the inn around lunchtime, Sookie wants to cook for both of you."  
  
Rory nods, "all right."  
  
"Bye Sweets." Lorelai waves before hurrying back out the diner door.  
  
"So are you and Mom going to fight forever?" Rory asks Luke as he passes.  
  
"I'm glad you're back Rory." Luke states, ignoring Rory's question.  
  
"Surprisingly, I'm glad to be back Luke."  
  
"Rory I'm glad I found you so early in the day." Taylor bursts through the diner door, "your mother stopped by the soda shop and said you were over here."  
  
Taylor's statement causes a glare to cross Luke's face and Rory laughs lightly, "hi Taylor."  
  
"I spoke to your mother, she said you might be interested in a job." Taylor states.  
  
Rory nods, "she said something about a town bulletin."  
  
"That's exactly right, I thought you would be the perfect person for the job, after me of course. It would be a weekly think and people would pay to advertise in it and you could do a couple articles on whatever you want, so long as you approve it by myself of course."  
  
"I'd love to." Rory responds.  
  
"Excellent." Taylor pulls a stack of papers out of his briefcase, "this has everything you need to know."  
  
"Thank you Taylor." Rory responds taking the bundled papers, "I'll let you know when I have a sketch of something put together."  
  
"Excellent, I'll be in touch." Taylor calls over his shoulder as he walks back out of the diner.  
  
"So where do you want to go now?" Rory asks once she and Georgia are done at Luke's.  
  
Georgia shrugs, "what's there to do?"  
  
"Not nearly as much as in the city, how about the park?" Rory suggests.  
  
"Can you push me on the swing?"  
  
"If that's what you want." Rory responds as they cross the street in the direction of the park.  
  
When they reach the swings Rory spots another familiar face, "Rory I heard you were back in town."  
  
"Hey Dean," Rory glances at the 3 children around him, "how are you?"  
  
"Good. Lindsay and I got a divorce last year."  
  
Rory nods, "I know my mom told me, I'm sorry."  
  
Dean shrugs, "we're happier now, Lindsay and I are still friends."  
  
"Good."  
  
"These are my children Donny, Ryan and Reid." All three of the boys seem to be a little younger than Georgia who instantly initiates a game between the four and they run off to play. "You look good." Dean comments.  
  
"Thanks," Rory smiles, "so do you." The two catch up a little longer before Dean confesses that he is supposed to get the kids over to Lindsay's and then he has to be at work and they separate. Rory is walking over to Georgia when she once again runs into Jess.  
  
"Are we going to keep doing this?" Rory stares at Jess.  
  
"I guess for as long as we're in the same town, I guess I'll take off for the summer visit my Dad or something." Jess turns to leave.  
  
"Jess, wait." Rory sighs, "don't do that."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I mean do we really have to hide from each other our whole lives, because in case you hadn't noticed it isn't working." Rory states.  
  
"You don't want me out of town?" Jess asks.  
  
Rory sighs, "I'll be here for three months and then we can go back to hating each other."  
  
"Fine." Jess snaps.  
  
"Fine." Rory snaps in response as Jess stalks away.  
  
On the next Gilmore Girls:  
  
"Well I love you! You dumb jerk!" Lorelai exclaims.  
  
"I never said I hated you, and you were the one who walked away!" Jess yells.  
  
"You walked away plenty of times before that." 


	6. Diner centered arguments

Chapter Five  
  
"What are we doing?" Georgia appears beside Rory who after they got back from the park had settled at the kitchen table and was attempting to file through the papers Taylor had given her.  
  
"I am working on something for that man you saw me talking to at Luke's today."  
  
"Luke?"  
  
"No," Rory shakes her head.  
  
"Oh the bossy one." Georgia nods. "So how longs it going to take you?"  
  
"I'm not exactly sure, it's sort of like the work I used to do back in New York."  
  
Georgia glares at Rory's statement and then turns on her tail and stomps off into the bedroom she was sharing with Rory. Rory sighs and pushes herself away from the table walking into the room she finds Georgia sulking on the bed, "what's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing." Georgia crosses her arms over her chest.  
  
"Something's wrong, what is it?" Rory asks sitting on the bed beside Georgia, only to have Georgia scoot down.   
  
"Nothing, I don't want to talk to you." Georgia states.  
  
"All right," Rory glances over at Georgia, "if that's what you want." Rory gets up off the bed and returns to the kitchen table with the hopes that Georgia would come out to talk to her on her own. Two hours later Georgia hadn't and it was time for them both to leave to meet her mother and Sookie for lunch.  
  
"Georgia come on, we have to meet my mom for lunch." Rory sticks her head in the open door.  
  
"I don't wanna go." Georgia responds setting her book down and crossing her arms, again.  
  
"Good thing I'm not giving you a choice then, isn't it?" Rory asks and picking up Georgia's shoes she hands them to her, "now put your shoes on so we can be there on time."  
  
Georgia does as Rory insists but not without throwing glare Rory's way every once in awhile, "all right I'm ready."  
  
"Good, let's go." Rory responds nearly pushing Georgia out the door and most of the way to the Dragonfly.  
  
"This must be Georgia." Sookie greets warmly when she and Rory walk into the lobby.  
  
Rory nods, "this is Georgia."  
  
"Hi, I'm Sookie." Sookie sticks her hand out to shakes Georgia's but the young girl completely ignores her.  
  
"We aren't in the best mood today." Rory comments as she hugs Sookie. "Did you bring the kids today?"  
  
Sookie nods, "yes, they are in the dining room, all of them right now. Meaning Michele is probably going crazy." Sookie leads the way into the dining room, and sure enough her five children are seated around a long table and Michele seems more frazzled then usual.  
  
"Georgia these are Sookie's children," Lorelai introduces, "this is Davey, he's 8, Amy is six, Daryl is five, and the twins are 3 and are Skye and Sara."  
  
"Hi." Georgia responds taking in the rambunctious children around her.  
  
"Why don't you sit down there with the kids and I'll have the food brought out, I'm sure everyone is hungry." Sookie states before hurrying off to the kitchen.  
  
"So did Taylor find you?" Lorelai asks once all the kids have taken a seat at one end of the table.  
  
"I can't believe you sent Taylor into Luke's just to upset Luke, what happened upstairs?" Rory asks.  
  
"He refuses to hear anything I have to say." Lorelai states, "he says that we will never be in the same place at the same time. That's a direct quote if you'll believe it. So I told him that it's not my fault he married Nicole."  
  
"You didn't throw that back in his face." Rory sighs.  
  
Lorelai sighs, "I did."  
  
"Mom."  
  
"I know, I shouldn't have done it, but he is so dumb sometimes."  
  
"You're both pretty dumb." Rory responds.  
  
"So wha'd you guys do after Luke's?" Lorelai questions.  
  
"We went to the park." Rory responds, "I ran into Dean, met his kids."  
  
"They are nice boys, Dean through and through, you'd like them though. They come over here to play with Amy, Daryl and the twins, since they are all about the same age."  
  
"I ran into Jess again too." Rory adds.  
  
Lorelai arches an eyebrow, "what happened?"  
  
"He said he was going to leave town for the summer." Rory informs.  
  
"Sounds good to me." Lorelai states.  
  
Rory shakes her head, "I told him that we can't hide from each other forever. And then we acted as immaturely as we did when we were teenagers and we went our separate ways."  
  
"I'm sorry Rory, maybe it would be better for him to go away for the summer." Lorelai suggests.  
  
Rory shrugs, "maybe, but I'm the one who invaded his town."  
  
"Rory this will always be your town, he knows it, why do you think he came back?" Lorelai asks.  
  
"If you are even suggesting what I think you are suggesting I don't want to hear it." Rory snaps quietly.  
  
Lorelai lifts her hands up, "I'm not suggesting a thing."  
  
"Good."  
  
"So you want to go to Luke's for dinner?" Lorelai suggests, "give me another chance to talk to Luke?"  
  
Rory nods, "sure. Georgia liked it there. She likes all the people in Stars Hollow, she likes to watch them she says they are all funny. Funnier than the people in New York."  
  
"So Rory it's too bad that you aren't staying in town more permanently than the summer." Sookie comments once they have all settled down with their food.  
  
"How come?" Rory asks taking a sip of her coffee.  
  
"The news paper was just bought by a private owner after Mr. Jacobs passed away and his family doesn't want it. The new owner is looking for an editor-in-chief and every other position I guess."  
  
"Who bought it?" Rory asks.  
  
Sookie shrugs, "nobody knows, all I know is that we haven't been getting a daily paper and we won't be until the new own hires a new staff. It was a family owned paper and once Mr. Jacobs died his family moved out of Stars Hollow, to Chicago I think."  
  
"You're kidding." Rory comments.  
  
"Rory, this is still Stars Hollow." Lorelai laughs, "crazy stuff like this happens all the time."  
  
Rory nods, "right. Thanks for the suggestion Sookie, but I really am just here for the summer. My job's waiting for me once the summer is over."  
  
Sookie nods, "you and your big city paper."  
  
Rory smiles, "it's not the New York Times, but it's a big paper."  
  
"Are we going to go in or what?" Georgia asks as she, Rory and Lorelai all stand on the front steps of Luke's.  
  
"Georgia, please get in a better mood." Rory requests, "and yes we are going in right now." Turning to her mother Rory asks, "ready?"  
  
Lorelai nods, "ready." Walking into the crowded diner Luke and Lorelai's eyes connect immediately and once again Luke tries to make an exit. "Luke I've got to talk to you."  
  
"I'm busy." Luke calls across the diner, "if you're here to eat then eat, if you're here to talk then you are wasting your time because we have nothing to talk about."  
  
"Well I love you! You dumb jerk!" Lorelai exclaims in front of the entire diner, "you would let me say it before but I just said it." Lorelai glances around the crowded diner at all the non-stunned faces, "and everyone here is witness to this and can we have the rest of this conversation away from the rest of the town?"  
  
"Yeah, upstairs." Luke gestures to the stairs as the entire diner cheers.  
  
"Finally!" Miss Patty calls.  
  
"It took her long enough!" Babette adds.  
  
Rory can't help but smile brightly as she leads Georgia to the counter, the only available seating in the entire diner. Before they can order Jess comes downstairs his eyes wide, "did you know your mother is upstairs fighting with Luke about love?"  
  
"Yeah," Rory can't help but laugh, the first time she's done such a thing if front of Jess in years, "you missed the public show."  
  
"Trust me I think I got the gist upstairs."  
  
Rory's smile disappears as she realizes who she has actually been carrying on a conversation with, "so we're speaking then?"  
  
"Well, I guess we were, I can't say anything for the future. You know since we have a history of fighting." Jess responds.  
  
Rory doesn't remember that she is in the middle of the diner much like her mother and Luke earlier until she hears Gypsy's words, "now these to have some issues to work out."  
  
"Can we talk outside?" Rory requests.  
  
"Fine." Jess leads the way outside to the sidewalk, "what's your problem."  
  
"I don't know I thought you were the one who hated me, hated everything I had become." Rory responds, "or at least that's what you said the last time we spoke."  
  
"I never said I hated you, and you were the one who walked away!" Jess yells.  
  
"You walked away plenty of times before that, I just thought I would get a jump start on the inevitable." Rory fights back the tears that threaten to spill.  
  
"How do you know I was going to walk away that time." Jess demands. "Because I don't remember saying I hated anything about who you were, I said I didn't understand who you were anymore. And I still don't."  
  
"You don't know me anymore, can't we just leave it at that?" Rory asks turning away so Jess can't see the tears in her eyes.  
  
"Fine! And I'll do what you expect me to do," Jess' words are cold, "I'll be the one to walk away as usual."  
  
"Rory." Lorelai is standing in front of Rory then.  
  
"Mom," Rory gasps through her tears as Lorelai hurries to her side quickly wrapping her in a hug as Rory's legs give out from the tears, "it hurts so much."  
  
"I know baby," Lorelai whispers, "I know."  
  
On the next Gilmore Girls:  
  
"This isn't right." Lorelai sighs in frusteration.  
  
"You look great Mom." Rory responds, "besides it's Luke, he's seen you at your best and your worst."  
  
"It's not just Luke, Rory, it's my first date with Luke." Lorelai responds.  
  
"I hate you!" Georgia's words are biting, "I hate you1 You're not my Mommy and I hate you!" 


	7. Missing

Chapter Six  
  
"This isn't right." Lorelai sighs in frustration.  
  
"You look great Mom." Rory responds, "besides it's Luke, he's seen you at your best and your worst."  
  
"It's not just Luke, Rory, it's my first date with Luke." Lorelai responds. "I have to go shopping."  
  
"Mom you don't have time to go shopping," Rory responds, "besides you've been shopping three times in the last week trying to find the perfect outfit for this date, you couldn't find anything then."  
  
"Maybe I'll find something this time."  
  
"Maybe you can't find anything because you should be wearing something that's you. You don't have to impress Luke, he knows all of you." Rory states.  
  
"You're right," Lorelai nods and she gently touches Rory's face, her daughter had been more withdrawn than she'd since the events of three years ago. "Are you all right?"  
  
"I'm better." Rory responds.  
  
"Good," Lorelai nods, "how was Georgia for you today?"  
  
Rory groans, "I don't think I've ever known a kid to hold a grudge for so long."  
  
"She still won't tell you why she's made at you?" Lorelai questions.  
  
"Not a peep. I thought I'd sit down and try to pull it out of her with bribery, ice cream and a movie."  
  
Lorelai smiles, "whatever works."  
  
"So what are you and Luke doing tonight?" Rory asks.  
  
"Just dinner I guess." Lorelai shrugs, "I don't know about this Rory."  
  
"Mom, you heard everyone in the diner everyone has seen that you guys were in love with each other, it just took you guys the longest."  
  
"You're sure."  
  
Rory nods, "I'm positive, tonight will feel natural."  
  
Lorelai takes a deep breath, "all right, but I'm changing."  
  
"All right, I'm ready!" Lorelai calls down the stairs where Georgia and Rory are sitting on opposite ends of the couch waiting for her to finish getting ready for her date.  
  
"Well come down and show us!" Rory calls back up the stairs.  
  
Lorelai appears at the bottom of the stairs looking classically elegant, in a light blue button down cotton dress with a white ribbon for a belt around her waist, "how do I look."  
  
"You look great," Rory responds, "amazing."  
  
"What time is it?" Lorelai asks.  
  
"Time for you to meet Luke." Rory urges, "you should get going."  
  
Lorelai nods, "all right, if you need anything..."  
  
"We'll be fine," Rory assures. "Have fun."  
  
"All right." Lorelai kisses both Rory and Georgia, the later clings to Lorelai.  
  
"Please don't leave me with *her*." Georgia glares at Rory.  
  
Lorelai easily disentangles herself, "you and Rory will have fun tonight, I think I heard something about movie and ice cream, maybe even pizza." Lorelai winks at Rory over Georgia's head, "I'll be back later."  
  
"So what kind of pizza should we order?" Rory inquires once Lorelai has left.  
  
"I'm not hungry."  
  
"Well you have to eat something, it might as well be pizza."  
  
"I don't want it."  
  
"Well you're going to eat it." Rory's patience is running thin with her sister, after a week of backtalk and trouble.  
  
"I hate you!" Georgia's words are biting, "I hate you! You're not my Mommy and I hate you!" With her words Georgia runs out of the living room and let's the front door bang behind her.  
  
Rory is immediately on her feet and takes off after her but by the time she is outside Georgia has disappeared completely, running back inside Rory slips on her shoes and slams the door shut after her. "Rory!" Lane calls to Rory from across the street, she's pushing a carriage with the baby and Teague has his arm wrapped around Lane's waist.  
  
Rory jogs over to her friend and her family, "have you seen Georgia?"  
  
"No? Why?" Lane asks.  
  
"She kind of flipped out on me," Rory runs a hand through her hair, "started yelling about how I'm not her Mommy, how much she hates me and then she took off and she was gone before I could get to the door."  
  
"Do you want us to help look for her?" Teague offers.  
  
Rory smiles but shakes her head, "she's a little girl, she couldn't have gotten far, but thanks for the offer."  
  
"Call us if you can't find her." Teague urges.  
  
Lane nods, "you have my new cell number, right?"  
  
Rory nods, "thank you guys, I'll see you around." Suddenly Rory is struck with an idea as to where she could be and Rory heads to Luke's despite the fact that she hadn't set food inside the diner since her argument with Jess a week before.  
  
Jess is just coming out of the diner as Rory reaches it, and he has a kicking and screaming Georgia under one arm, "I believe she belongs to you."  
  
"Georgia Grace!" Rory exclaims, "I can't believe you would do that."  
  
"I hate all of you!" Georgia announces, "I wanna go home!"  
  
"She's an angry one, isn't she?" Jess comments.  
  
Rory glares at Jess, "just set her down, we're going home."  
  
"That isn't my home! I want my Mommy and I want my Daddy!" Georgia is sobbing by now and Rory easily lifts her and begins the walk back to the house.  
  
When they get to the house Rory drops Georgia on the couch and then informs, "you are going to tell me what is wrong. Right now."  
  
"You wouldn't understand." Georgia states.  
  
"How do you know?" Rory inquires.  
  
"You're parents didn't die!" Georgia yells.  
  
Rory's eyes fill with tears and she looks Georgia in the eyes, "Georgia my Dad died to, remember he was mine to."  
  
Georgia's lip trembles, "I miss them."  
  
Rory wraps her arms around Georgia, "I know sweetie, I miss them too."  
  
"I just want them to be here." Georgia sobs into Rory's shoulder.  
  
After Georgia's sobs have slowed down Rory asks, "is that what has been bothering you the last week?"  
  
Georgia shrugs, "sort of."  
  
"Well what else?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Yes you do, what is it?" Rory asks.  
  
"You have work." Georgia states.  
  
"You mean with Taylor?"  
  
Georgia nods, "yeah."  
  
"What about my work?" Rory asks.  
  
"I thought you were going to start working and forget about me like Mommy and Daddy used to do." Georgia's eyes fill with tears again.  
  
"They never forgot about you, and I won't either." Rory assures, "I promise I'm not going anywhere, but I do have to work so I can make money so that we can go back to the city when school starts."  
  
"I don't wanna go back to the city," Georgia sniffles, "I like it here."  
  
"We have to go back into the city, Sweetie, I have a job and a life there."  
  
"But everyone here knows you, and they know and like me now too." Georgia hiccups.  
  
"Sweetie we have to go back to the city, I can't live here."  
  
"How come?"  
  
"Because there's bad things here." Rory has to hold back her own tears.  
  
"Like Jess?"   
  
Rory nods, "among other things."  
  
"Like what?" Georgia pushes the question.  
  
"Things I can't explain to you right now, because they are complicated."  
  
"Because I'm to young, Mommy and Daddy always said I was to young to understand things."  
  
"Not because you are to young, because I don't even understand some things myself."  
  
Georgia's face scrunches up, "oh, I thought adults understood everything."  
  
"That's just what we want you to think." Rory smiles at her sister, "how about that pizza now?"  
  
Georgia smiles, "OK!"  
  
"Do you want me to call Dean or Sookie to meet us and bring the kids?" Rory asks.  
  
Georgia nods, uh-huh."  
  
"Well who do you want to come with?"  
  
"Donny's fun to play with, can you call them?" Georgia asks.  
  
Rory nods, "let me go find Dean's number." Quickly thumbing through the phone book Rory finds Dean's number and within minutes she has made plans. "All right, they are going to meet us there, why don't we get your face cleaned up and we can leave."  
  
Georgia nods and hurries off in the direction of the bathroom when she comes back her face is no longer tear streaked and she has pulled her hair into a messy ponytail. "Do you want me to fix your hair?" Rory asks.  
  
Georgia nods, "if you don't mind." Rory sits back down on the couch and Georgia sits on the floor, "can you do the twisty things?"  
  
Rory smiles, "sure." Quickly, easily, she twists the hair into several small twists on the top of Georgia's head and then pulls her hair into a ponytail, "all right, now are we ready?"  
  
Georgia nods, "we're ready."  
  
On the next Gilmore Girls:  
  
Dean leans in and kisses Rory and as they pull apart Dean murmurs, "I've wondered for so many years what that would feel like?"  
  
"And?"  
  
"So you and Dean are what, back together? Because I saw you kissing him." Jess' voice sounds like a mixture between hurt and anger.  
  
"That's none of your business!"  
  
"So how was your date with Luke?" Georgia inquires.  
  
Lorelai rolls her eyes, "it was a disaster, a mistake." 


	8. Rory vs Jess Round 2

Chapter Seven  
  
"Hi Georgie!" Donny appears in front of Rory and Georgia the instant they walk in the door. "Wanna play video games?"  
  
"Can I Rory?" Georgia asks looking up at Rory.  
  
"Of course," Rory hands Georgia the 1/4 of the quarters she had brought along for that specific purpose, "be good."  
  
"Hey Rory." Dean greets.  
  
"Hey," Rory glances around the busy arcade/pizza place, "aren't you missing two?"  
  
Dean shakes his head, "the other two are with Lindsay, every Wednesday and I take one of the boys out for one on one time and every Saturday she takes one of them. It's really helped them adjust to the divorce, helped them to understand that we still love them, even if Lindsay and I couldn't love each other."  
  
"That's a really good idea." Rory comments.  
  
Dean smiles, "we wanted to make this as easy as possible, with as little psychological damage as possible, it seems to have worked."  
  
"They are great kids," Rory adds, "and it looks like Donny and are Georgia are getting to be good friends."  
  
Dean nods, "when I asked Donny if he wanted to have pizza with Georgia he nodded and confided in me that even though she is a girl she's isn't yucky."  
  
Rory laughs lightly, "cute."  
  
"What about Georgia?"  
  
"She gets along with other kids pretty well, but Sookie's kids are a little to much for her, to loud I think. She likes to keep more to herself."  
  
"It's good to have you back, Rory, it's been nice just being able to hang out." Dean states, once the pizza has been eaten and the kids have returned to their games.  
  
Rory nods, "yeah I enjoyed this tonight."  
  
Dean leans in and kisses Rory and as they pull apart Dean murmurs, "I've wondered for so many years what that would feel like."  
  
"And?" Rory whispers nervously, unsure if she even wants to now what Dean's response would be.  
  
"It felt like kissing an old friend," Dean smiles.  
  
Rory lets out a relieved breath, "good, because that's what it felt like for me too."  
  
"So how much longer do you think you'll be in Stars Hollow?" Dean inquires.  
  
"The private school I've got her enrolled at starts the first week of August, so another month I guess." Rory states.  
  
"Anxious to get back to the city?" Dean asks.  
  
"Part of me is," Rory's forehead crinkles in thought, "I've put off coming back for a long time and then when I had to, because believe me only extreme conditions could have brought me back, I thought it would be hard. But it's still the same old Stars Hollow. The same people, everything is the same and it's comfortable, most of the time."  
  
"Except when you're fighting with Jess, right?"  
  
"You heard about that?" Rory asks.  
  
Dean nods, "half of the town was in the diner that night and it's been the topic of conversation all week, that and your mom and Luke finally getting together."  
  
Rory groans, "Jess and I have always been complicated."  
  
Dean nods, "I know, I was in the middle of it at one time, remember?"  
  
Rory rolls her eyes, "I remember."  
  
"I'll beat him up for old times sake if you want."  
  
Rory shakes her head, "I don't think that'll be necessary but thanks."  
  
"So how was your date with Luke?" Georgia inquires.  
  
Lorelai rolls her eyes, "it was a disaster, a mistake."  
  
"What?" Rory stares at her mother stunned.  
  
"Well it was a mistake pretending it was a first date and all the formalities. Neither one of us ate anything at dinner and by the time we finished with the painful meal it was to late to do anything else. So we went back to the diner."  
  
"You went back to the diner?" Georgia asks.  
  
Rory rolls her eyes, "how romantic."  
  
"It was more fun than the restaurant Luke picked, neither of us were comfortable there but back in out element we were fine. So all in all it wasn't terrible."  
  
"So are you guys going out again?" Rory asks.  
  
Lorelai shrugs, "I don't know. So did you have fun last night, sweets?" Lorelai directs her question to Georgia.  
  
Georgia nods, "I got to play with Donny."  
  
Lorelai smirks, "do I sense a crush?"  
  
"No!" Georgia exclaims.  
  
"Oh really?"  
  
Georgia bites her lip, "well he is cute."  
  
Lorelai slips her arm around Georgia's small shoulders, "good for you, goin' for the young men."  
  
Georgia blushes, "he calls me Georgie."  
  
Lorelai grins, "your first crush, I'm so proud. Now come on, let's go get some breakfast."  
  
"Are we going to Luke's?" Georgia asks.  
  
Lorelai shoots a sidelong look at Rory, "it's up to you."  
  
"Luke's is fine." Rory responds quietly.  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Positive."  
  
Upon walking into Luke's Rory immediately regretted agreeing to Luke's for breakfast because Jess was in the process of making rounds with coffee and he appeared to be the only one serving in the diner. As the three take their seats at their usual table Jess immediately sets two coffee cups down in front of them and the chilly silence over the table causes Georgia to look back and forth between the three adults curiously. Luke comes down the stairs in the middle of this scene and he calls Jess, "I've got the table."  
  
"Fine, I'm sure Dean will be joining them anyway." Jess sets the coffee pot down on the table and bolts out of the diner.  
  
"Dean?" Lorelai's gaze falls on her daughter, "what about Dean?"  
  
"Rory kissed Dean last night, Donny and I saw." Georgia informs.  
  
Luke and Lorelai's eyes meet across the table, "you and Dean?" Lorelai asks.  
  
Rory's hand rests on her forehead, "no. No!" Rory sighs and stands up, "I'll be back."  
  
"So Rory and Jess round two?" Babette's words come from the table behind Lorelai when Rory storms out of the diner.  
  
"What is your problem Jess?" Rory asks after catching up with him.  
  
"So you and Dean are what, back together? Because I saw you kissing him." Jess' voice sounds like a mixture between hurt and anger.  
  
"That's none of your business!" Rory exclaims, "you sound like we are together, which we are not and we will never be again. We're over Jess."  
  
"Right and make room for Dean."  
  
"Dean and I aren't together, not that it's any of your business." Rory glares at Jess, "can we just make the decision to avoid each other for the rest of the summer? I won't go into the diner to eat, and if we see each other on the street we'll ignore each other."  
  
"Why are you so determined to cut me out of your life?" Jess inquires. "You and Dean are friends and you have as much of a history as we do."  
  
"Because," Rory can't fight the tears anymore.  
  
"Because, there's an intelligent response I would expect from someone who went to Yale. Maybe something I'd expect from your sister."  
  
"Why are you prolonging this conversation?" Rory asks furiously brushing at the tears on her cheeks.  
  
"I'm trying to understand why this conversation has you so worked up." Jess responds.  
  
"You aren't going to understand, because this conversation is over." Rory turns to walk back into the diner but Jess grabs her arm and spins her around to face him.  
  
"Should I go out there, break them up?" Luke asks from inside the diner.  
  
Lorelai chews on her lip, unsure of what would be better for her daughter, "I don't know, give them a little while longer."  
  
"What are you keeping from me Rory?" Jess demands, "because there's something."  
  
Rory pulls her arm out of Jess' and without another word she bolts, running as quickly as possible toward home, toward her sanctuary from this topic of conversation.  
  
On the next Gilmore Girls:  
  
"What the hell do you know that I don't?" Jess demands of Luke and Lorelai.  
  
Rory runs her fingers over the soft baby cloth of the pink layette but she jumps at the sound of someone clearing their throat. 


	9. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight  
  
"Where'd Rory go?" Georgia asks, she had been watching the fight as intently as the rest of the diner.  
  
"Probably home sweets, let's order some breakfast." Lorelai suggests.  
  
"Shouldn't we go be with Rory, I think she was crying." Georgia shows concern for her older sister.  
  
"She was crying, but we need to give her some time to be alone right now." Lorelai states as Jess comes slamming into the diner.  
  
"Everyone return to your meals!" He yells to the patrons, "show's over." With his words he slams back upstairs.  
  
"I should go talk to him." Luke sighs.  
  
Lorelai gently places her hand over Luke's, "I would just now, I have a feeling he is going to want answers."  
  
"Maybe he deserves answers." Luke retorts, and once again the town is watching the back and forth banter taking place in the diner.  
  
"Well they sure aren't ours to give." Lorelai sighs.  
  
"What the hell do you know that I don't?" Jess demands of Luke and Lorelai, he had slipped downstairs more quietly than he had gone up them.  
  
"Jess..." Lorelai begins.  
  
"No, I know you both know something about Rory that I don't, but I'm getting the feeling I need to be clued in. Maybe then I could figure out why she hates me so much."  
  
"Jess maybe you should go for a walk, calm down a little because we can't give you any answers." Lorelai shoots Luke a warning glance.  
  
"Jess, you do need to cool it." Luke adds, it seems that he is going to go along with Lorelai.  
  
"Whatever." Jess walks out of the diner, slamming the door behind him so hard that the windows all rattle and Luke can hear something upstairs crash.  
  
Running into the house Rory trips over a familiar looking box, dropping to her knees she opens the box and lifts the familiar yellow box out of the large box and Rory stares at the box for a long time before she lifts the lid off and once again she pulls out the pink layette. Dropping it on her lap Rory's hand mechanically moves to her flat stomach. With her free hand Rory runs her fingers over the soft baby cloth of the pink layette but she jumps at the sound of someone clearing their throat. Rory jumps up quickly as she faces Jess, "what the hell are you doing here?"  
  
"I came to get some answers from you." Jess responds.  
  
Rory backs up slowly, hiding the baby clothing behind her back, "there's no answers necessary, known for you at least."  
  
Jess' gaze falls on the open yellow box and he asks, "are you pregnant?"  
  
"What?" Rory asks attempting to stall.  
  
"Pregnant, you know expecting?" Jess urges.  
  
"Why would you think that?" Rory asks.  
  
"Well the baby things kind of gave it away." Jess comments, "you don't have another sister besides Georgia so I figured that you were having a baby, most people don't just have baby things lying around."  
  
"Jess you don't know what you're talking about so just leave." Rory's order sounds more like a plea.  
  
"If you aren't pregnant then you were pregnant?" Jess ignores Rory and proceeds with the questioning.  
  
Rory backs up further her back resting against the wall, "Jess please."  
  
"Jess should be back by now, maybe I should go after him." Luke is pacing back and forth in front of Lorelai's table.  
  
"He's probably just cooling off." Lorelai suggests.  
  
"He doesn't cool off, he walks around the block and then comes back and slams things around until his anger has dissipated." Luke states.  
  
"Maybe he went to fight with Rory some more." Georgia suggests.  
  
"What do you mean?" Lorelai quickly looks at the young, but observant girl.  
  
"Well he went the same way as Rory did earlier, I watched him." Georgia informs, "maybe they will make up."  
  
Lorelai quickly jumps out of her seat and she looks Georgia straight in the eye, "you need to stay here, all right? You can't leave the diner."  
  
"Order whatever you want, Jessica should be here soon." Luke places his hand on the small of Lorelai's back as they hurry out of the diner.  
  
"I swear to God Luke if he hurts her anymore than he all ready has I'll kill him." Lorelai threatens.  
  
"You'll have to take a number." Luke hisses.  
  
"Rory you've never lied to me before, tell me now, tell me what you are keeping from me." Jess has moved right in front of Rory staring into her eyes, searching them for answers.  
  
Rory looks away, "please don't ask me to do this Jess, because I can't."  
  
"You can't what? Be honest with me? Fill me in on whatever part of your life is missing?"  
  
"Both, all right, both." Rory sobs.  
  
Seeing Rory crying calms Jess' anger and as always his feelings for her calm him as he gently touches her chin, turning her to face him, "Rory please, please tell me what's going on." Jess is suddenly consumed with finding out what has taken Rory, the strongest person he's ever known, and completely destroyed her.  
  
Luke and Lorelai hurrying through the front door and are shocked by the sight that they find in front of them, Rory in tears and Jess pleading for her to talk to him. When Luke looks as if could pound Jess Lorelai grabs his arm, she's confident that for the first time in three years everything is going to be brought into the light.  
  
Rory takes a deep breath and holds it, unsure if she can actually go through with what Jess is asking of her, "what do you want from me?"  
  
"Just the truth." Jess whispers.  
  
"Just the truth." Rory echoes hollowly. "There's nothing just about the truth, nothing fair about what happened."  
  
Jess' heart drops, he's suddenly afraid of what Rory has to say, "Rory..."  
  
"The truth hurts Jess, it's going to hurt you and I don't want you to have to hurt the way I have." Rory whispers her voice shakes as she speaks. "But you need to know the truth." As Rory slides to the ground Jess follows her, his hands gently on her shoulders as he kneels in front of her. Balling her fists Rory takes a deep breath and she can feel her pulse in the tight fist and she can feel her heart pounding. "I was pregnant, before," Rory closes her eyes as she speaks because she can't watch Jess' face, she can't watch his heart break. "I was going to tell you the night we got into that fight, but we got into the fight and I couldn't tell you that night. The things we said...it wasn't the time..."  
  
"What are you saying Rory?" Jess' voice is strained and the three other people in the entrance way can hear that he is about to be destroyed by the words that are going to come out of Rory's mouth, because he's expecting it.  
  
"I...the doctors all just said that these things happen...that it's not always so one's fault."  
  
"Oh God Rory," Jess' voice is clogged with pained tears and Lorelai and Luke don't have to see his face to know that Jess' face is tear streaked.  
  
"I couldn't tell you, I just couldn't..." A sob breaks up Rory's words and she gives into them this time, unable to continue with the rest of the story.  
  
Unable to stand her daughter's pain but wanting her to work it out with Jess Lorelai steps into Luke's embrace, burying her face in Luke's shoulder and softly crying, so much like the time she had gone to Luke with the situation years before. When Jess stands up his face is heartbreaking and Luke wants to reach out to comfort his nephew but Jess doesn't even see Luke or Lorelai there as he bolts out the door and down the street.  
  
"I should go after Jess." Luke suggests.  
  
Lorelai shakes her head, "let me, I can explain everything to him better than you can, can you stay with Rory."  
  
Luke nods, "of course."  
  
Lorelai hurries out the door after Jess completely sure as to where the young man would be headed and Luke moves to Rory's side. Rory is curled up into a ball, her entire body is shaking with sobs and when Luke wraps her arms around her she clings to him and doesn't let go until her entire body has gone limp in Luke's arm. When Luke is sure she is asleep he scoops her into his arms and carries her to her bedroom carefully laying her on her bed, gently laying a blanket over her Luke watches her sleep. Gently Luke pushes Rory's dark hair off of her wet cheeks, gently touching her cheeks Luke can't help the fatherly gesture, he'd never admitted it to anyone but he saw Rory as a daughter and he hated to see her in so much pain. He remembered how she had been after the miscarriage, she hadn't left the house and refused visitors and as soon as she was well enough she had fled to New York and she hadn't been back since. With a sigh Luke stands up and walks back into the entrance way carefully putting the baby things back in their box, returning the lid to it's proper place and then Luke sets the box back in the large box it must have come from.   
  
And doing something he had never done before he picks up Lorelia's telephone he calls the diner, "Jessica, it's me." Luke sighs, "Luke. Yeah. Listen, kick everyone out of the diner, tell them it's closed. Yes closed. Do it now, and then could you bring Georgia over to Lorelai's house. Thanks."  
  
On the next Gilmore Girls:  
  
Jess turns to Lorelai his face is tear stained and his question is simple, "why didn't she tell me?"  
  
"Luke's is closed?" Babette as well as a crowd of other Stars Hollow residents stand around Luke, "has Luke's ever been closed?" 


	10. Thoughts

Chapter Nine  
  
Lorelai takes a deep breath once she sets foot outside of her house, she has an idea as to where Jess would be so she heads toward the bridge that Rory had gone to the day she had found out she had lost her baby. Lorelai walks toward the bridge slowly and she isn't surprised to see Jess leaning over the bridge staring down so that Lorelai can't see his face.  
  
"Jess?" Lorelai gently places her hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Lorelai not now." Jess jerks his body away from Lorelai.  
  
"Jess, you need to talk to someone." Lorelai urges.  
  
Jess doesn't move for a long time but finally Jess turns to Lorelai his face is tear stained and his question is simple, "why didn't she tell me?"  
  
Lorelai takes a long time to respond to Jess, "she was hurting Jess, you can't fathom how much she was hurting."  
  
"I think I can." Jess mumbles.  
  
"She didn't know how to tell you she was pregnant in the first place, and then she didn't know where she stood with you and then between how unsure she was and how much pain she was in she couldn't tell you."  
  
"She should have found a way, no matter how much pain she was in." Jess returns.  
  
"Jesus Jess," Lorelai snaps, "she moved to New York and refused to come home for years, that's how much pain she was in, this is the first time in three years that I've heard her talk about the baby. And then when the pain lessened she just wouldn't deal with it, how could she talk to you about it if she wouldn't deal with it. You saw here today Jess, and it's been three years, try to imagine what she was like before the time had passed and made her pain less."  
  
"Fine, Rory couldn't tell me. But you knew, you knew and you saw me almost everyday between then and now and you kept it from me. And Luke too!"  
  
"This wasn't ours to tell you." Lorelai sighs, "Jess it happened, and I'm sorry you weren't told but it wasn't in my power to tell you, I would never betray Rory's trust like that."  
  
Jess' hits the wood in front of him, "Lorelai I don't know what to do, I don't know what to say." With his words he cries openly in front of Lorelai.  
  
Stepping forward Lorelai wraps her arms around Jess hugging him tightly to her, "I know how hard this must be for you."  
  
"Luke's is closed?" Babette as well as a crowd of other Stars Hollow residents stand around Luke, "has Luke's ever been closed?"  
  
"What's going on?" Lane and Teague make their way through the crowd to read the sign.  
  
"Luke's is closed." Babette explains, "it doesn't say why, just that it is. But Jess and Rory did have another blow up at each other outside the diner, Rory took off and Jess slammed things around, seemed kind of typical to me."  
  
"Wha'd they fight about?" Lane asks quickly.  
  
Miss Patty shrugs, "they were outside."  
  
"All right everyone, Luke's is closed," Jessica comes out of the diner holding Georgia's hand, "so go on."  
  
"Jessica what's going on? Where's Lorelai and Rory?" Lane asks.  
  
Jessica shrugs, "I'm not sure, Luke just called and said to close down the diner and bring her to Lorelai's house."  
  
"I'll take her," Lane offers.  
  
"I don't know..." Jessica trails off, "he said for me to bring her."  
  
"It's fine, I'll take care of Luke, he won't be angry with you." Lane assures and holding out her hand she says, "come on Georgia I'll take you home."  
  
Georgia slips her hand out of Jessica's and into Lane's, "all right. Will Rory be at home?"  
  
"I hope so." Lane responds as she turns to her husband, "I'll meet you at home, all right?"  
  
Teague nods, "call me if I can do anything."  
  
"I will," Lane kisses her husband before leading Georgia off toward Lorelai's house.  
  
"Is it all right to go home?" Georgia asks once they are further away from the diner.  
  
"Why wouldn't it be?" Lane asks.  
  
Georgia shrugs, "I don't know, but Lorelai told me to stay at the diner cause Rory needed some time alone."  
  
"Do you know what Jess and Rory were fighting about?" Lane asks.  
  
Georgia shakes her head, "uh-huh Luke and Lorelai were fighting about answers, but I don't know what they mean. Like homework answers?"  
  
"I don't think so sweetie, how would you like to go home with Teague? You can play with baby T.J."  
  
"Really?" Georgia looks excited.  
  
Lane nods, "really."  
  
Georgia's face falls, "I don't know if Rory would want me to without asking first?"  
  
Lane thinks for a second, "I actually asked Rory before, she must not have told you."  
  
"Really?"  
  
Lane nods, "really." So she makes a move in the direction of her house and luckily meets Teague in the front yard, quickly making the arrangements for him to watch her before she hurries to see her friend.   
  
"Lane, what are you doing here?" Luke asks when she walks quietly into the silent house.  
  
"I was at the diner,"  
  
"Was Jessica coming back with Georgia?"  
  
Lane shakes her head, "Georgia's at my house playing with the baby. Where is everyone?"  
  
"Lorelai went to find Jess, Rory is asleep."  
  
"So everything's out then?" Lane asks cautiously.  
  
Luke nods, "Jess didn't take the news well, Rory didn't give the news well."  
  
"Is she OK?" Lane asks.  
  
Luke shrugs, "she cried herself to sleep. She's been mumbling in her sleep to, sometimes she cries out."  
  
The door opens behind Lane and Lorelai followed by Jess walk in, the four look back and forth between each other and Jess' face is once again emotionless, with the exception of the tear stains on his cheeks. "Where's Rory?" Lorelai asks.  
  
"Asleep."  
  
"Where's Georgia?"  
  
"At my house."  
  
"Jess is going stay here so he can talk to Rory when she wakes up," Lorelai soothingly rubs Jess' back.  
  
"We can go to the diner." Luke offers.  
  
Lorelai shakes her head, "I don't really want everyone around."  
  
"The diner's closed." Luke responds, "Jessica closed it for me."  
  
"Luke you can't just..." Lorelai sighs and then nods, "all right."  
  
"I'll see you guys later." Lane calls as she walks down the front steps and towards her home, "you can pick Georgia up whenever, she can stay over if she needs to."  
  
Jess felt calmed as he watched Rory sleep, he'd done it so many times before for that exact reason. Watching Rory sleep peacefully made the whole world seem okay, like it couldn't touch either one of them so long as they were inside their room. So long as they were inside their room the world melted away and the only thing that was important was them. The only thing that was important was them? What a joke, if nothing was more important than them why had they let so many things get in-between them before? Why hadn't Rory been able to come to him and tell them about the loss of their child? And why hadn't he been able to tell that there was something more going on with Rory than just their fight to make her flee to New York? With all these thoughts pushing themselves into his head Jess didn't even notice that Rory was beginning to move as she began to wake.  
  
Rory didn't want to wake up, because she knew that when she woke up her whole world would be changed. She knew that she could no longer hide behind the lies that she had built around her life to protect her from the heartache of the past. The heartache of the past had caught up with Rory and now she had to live with the consequences of not only Jess finding out the truth but the fact that Rory could never hide behind the denial that she had been living in for years. The denial that if she didn't talk about it she didn't have to deal with it, because Jess was going to want to talk about it. It didn't take long for Rory to pick up on the soft breathing beside her bed, she assumes it must be look and embarrassed she hopes he goes away so she doesn't have to face him. He had treated her so amazingly despite the fact that she was essentially asking him to lie for her. But knowing that he isn't going away Rory rolls over and slowly opens her eyes only to be faced with the one person she wasn't expecting to see.  
  
"Jess!" Rory sits quickly up in bed, to quickly and immediately she feels dizzy from lack of food and the headache that had been brought on by the tears. "What are you..."  
  
"Your mom suggested that maybe we needed to talk to each other more than other people." Jess responds, his voice is still rough from the tears earlier.  
  
"Yeah, I guess we do need to talk."  
  
One the next Gilmore Girls:  
  
Lorelai seductively at Luke, "we need to have a serious talk about getting you a bigger bed. Because this one just isn't suitable."  
  
Jess takes Rory's hand, "we can start all over Rory, we can have it all get married have another baby do it all again for all the right reasons this time."  
  
"Jess..." The phone rings just as soon as Rory opens her mouth to say more and instinctively she picks it up, "what? Wait, slow down. All right, all right, I'll be right there. Jess, we have to go, something's happened."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Luke's, fire, we have to go." Rory is all ready nearly out the door before Jess is even on his feet. 


	11. God's Malevolence

Chapter 10  
  
Lorelai couldn't believe it. She Lorelai Gilmore was in bed with Luke Danes, the man whom she'd only just realized she was in love with. Glancing at Luke she realizes that he's been staring at her, "what?"  
  
Lorelai can't believe her eyes, Luke's blushing, "nothing."  
  
Lorelai adjusts herself in Luke's small bed and questions again, "no seriously Luke, what?"  
  
"This just..." Luke trails off, unable or unwilling to finish.  
  
"Feels right?" Lorelai asks and when Luke nods she adds, "I know, I feel it to." Lorelai seductively at Luke, "we need to have a serious talk about getting you a bigger bed. Because this one just isn't suitable."  
  
Luke grins sheepishly at Lorelai before kissing her, his hands tangling in hair, "I guess we'll have to make do for now." When the kiss ends Lorelai stretches and wraps the sheet around her, "where are you going?"  
  
"It's hot up here, and I need coffee." Lorelai responds.  
  
"It is hot up here." Luke comments.  
  
"Isn't the air conditioning working?" Lorelai asks.  
  
"I'll go check."  
  
"So we should talk." Jess' words are the only one to break the silence since Rory's statement along the same idea. "And I've been thinking."  
  
"Jess..."  
  
Jess shakes his head, "hang on Rory listen." Jess takes Rory's hand, "we can start all over Rory, we can have it all, get married, have another baby do it all again for all the right reasons this time."  
  
"Jess..." The phone rings just as soon as Rory opens her mouth to say more and instinctively she picks it up, "what? Wait, slow down. All right, all right, I'll be right there. Jess, we have to go, something's happened."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Luke's, fire, we have to go." Rory is all ready nearly out the door before Jess is even on his feet.  
  
"Who was that?" Jess asks as he chases Rory down the street toward Luke's, looking up he can see the smoke billowing into the sky.  
  
"It was Miss Patty. " Rory breathlessly responds as they stop across the street from the diner, the closest they are being allowed.  
  
"Thank God Luke's was closed today, no one was in inside." Babette comments as the entire town stands staring at the huge flames consuming their beloved diner.  
  
"Luke and Lorelai are!" Jess calls out, "they were going over to give us a chance to talk." Rory's hand silent flies to her mouth and Jess grabs her hand as he pulls her with him weaving through the crowd so they can reach the police chief.  
  
"You can't be up here." The man orders. "Now back up so we can get this fire put out."  
  
"Wait!" Rory calls, "my mom's in there."  
  
"You're sure?" The chief asks, "because the others said that no one would be inside."  
  
Rory looks at Jess who nods and Rory whispers, "I'm positive. My Mom and Luke, the owner."  
  
"All right," the chief nods, "we'll take care of it, now you need to back up."  
  
"Rory!" Georgia's cry comes from behind Rory.  
  
Rory whirls around and easily catches the little girl into her arms, holding her close as she watches with tear filled eyes as the fire continues to blaze. Cautiously Jess wraps an arm around Rory's shoulder and she leans into him gratefully, unsure as to whether she can stand or not without his support.   
  
"Rory what's wrong?" Dean suddenly appears beside the group.  
  
"Lorelai and Luke are inside." Jess responds for a silent Rory.   
  
Rory doesn't pay attention to the quiet exchange between the once enemies, her eyes as closed as everything inside her prays that Lorelai and Luke will come out safely. But Rory's eyes fly open when she hears the sound of cheering and she watches with relief as Luke comes out of the building coughing, but the relief is short lived because Lorelai does not follow him out. Rory turns, "Jess," she whispers softly.  
  
"It's all right Rory," but Jess' words loose all effect when Luke seems to rush back toward the diner. "All right, stay here." Jess gently shifts Rory's weight to Dean who quickly wraps his arm around Rory's waist because it becomes quickly apparent that she is no longer able to stand on her own. Rory squeeze Georgia tightly to her as she watches Jess push past the firemen, say something quickly to Luke and then hurry into the building. Once Jess rushes in Luke collapses in a fit of coughs and the newly arrived paramedics rush to his side. The next few minutes are spent breathlessly as Rory once again awaits two people to come rushing out of the building like Luke had been able to minutes before.  
  
Ahead of them Rory can hear two of the firemen talking, "the boys insane, no one is coming out of that building." And without another world Rory's legs give out from under her and the entire world goes black.  
  
"Rory! Rory! Wake up!" Lane's words break through the darkness and Rory sits up with a start.  
  
Immediately Rory takes notice that her best friend is crying and she immediately bursts into tears, "they aren't coming out are they?"  
  
Lane shakes her head, "Rory, your mom came out, they rushed her to the hospital but the building collapsed on Jess."  
  
"No," Rory shakes her head whispering, "no."  
  
"Rory, I'm so sorry."  
  
Rory's breath comes in ragged gasps as she attempts to get her words out, "I need to go to the hospital, I need to see my mom."  
  
"I'll take you," Dean helps Rory to her feet off of the ground he'd eased her to only minutes before.  
  
Shaking Rory nods, "thank you," as she grabs onto his arm for support.  
  
They make it to the hospital in record time and head straight for the ER and the instant she walks in Rory is pointed in the direction of her mother. "Mom!" Catching sight of her mother Rory can't help but notice that her hand is bandaged, running straight into her mother's arms Rory sobs.  
  
"Oh baby," Lorelai smooths Rory's hair gently, "it'll be all right."  
  
"He didn't come out." Rory sobs.  
  
"I know sweetie," Lorelai hugs her daughter tightly, "I know."  
  
Rory lets out a few ragged breaths, "are you OK?"  
  
"I'm fine, just some burns on my hand from a table cloth that melted and some smoke inhalation, but I'll be fine. Where's Luke?"  
  
"I'll go find him." Dean offers.  
  
Rory sinks into the chair beside the bed Lorelai is sitting on, "he's gone." Rory sobs into her mother's lap and Lorelai runs her fingers gently through Rory's hair, unsure of any words that would ease her daughter's pain. Within minutes Rory sits up, "I have to go."  
  
"Rory..."  
  
"I'll be back." Rory responds, "I have to take care of something." Unsteadily Rory walks around the hospital until she finds what she is looking for, pushing the small inconspicious open Rory walks into the church chapel. Walking up the aisle Rory finally settles one in the middle, growing up she'd never spent a lot of time in churches, unless she was with Lane, it wasn't that she didn't believe in God it was just that...well she didn't know but they'd never really be into going to church for anything other than funerals or weddings.  
  
"Is that why you are punishing me?" Rory asks into the empty room, "because I didn't go to church? Or what? What did I do to deserve all of this, what did I do for you to have to take everyone and everything I care about away." Rory takes a shaky breath, "you took my baby away. And then my Dad. And now you are taking Jess away from me too? Why? I've treated him badly I know, I should have told him about the baby but I just couldn't."  
  
"Did you ever stop to think that maybe God's not punishing you?" The voice behind Rory causes her to whirl around.  
  
"Excuse me?" Rory snaps.  
  
"I couldn't help over hearing you." The voice belongs to a teenaged girl who has her hand gently resting on the pew and the long cane in her hand makes Rory realize that the girl is blind.  
  
"What does any of this have to do with you?" Rory has no desire to talk to anyone, much less a stranger.  
  
"I've been in your position before," the other girl seems to be 18, maybe a little younger, "I thought God hated me and I had done something wrong to deserve to be in the car accident that made me loose my sight."  
  
Rory licks her lips, almost afraid of the answer to the question she is about to ask, "so how did you get over it? How do you ever get over the feeling that God must hate you for some reason?"  
  
The girl lifts up her left hand and reveals a diamond ring, "I can't see it but I now it must be beautiful, I met my fiancee because I was blind, he was one of my readers and I would never have met him if it I hadn't been in the accident, so some days I get down on my knees and thank God for making me blind."  
  
"I can't think like that," Rory shakes her head, "because unlike you I lost the love of my life I didn't gain him."  
  
The girls shrugs, "everything happens for a reason."  
  
On the next Gilmore Girls:  
  
Jess stands before Rory his skin if flawless and he wears all white, a smile across his face as he holds a small baby in his arms, "Rory I'm okay, it's all right, I'm going to take care of our baby."  
  
Rory feels the tears streaming down her cheeks, "no, I need you here with me. Please Jess, please just come back to me." 


	12. Lackadaisical God

Chapter 11   
  
"I'll leave you alone now," the girl states turning to leave.  
  
Rory knows that she should offer her help to the younger girl but instead she nods and sits back into the pew, she also knows she should get back to her mother but right now she needed to be alone. The stress of the day catches up with Rory quickly and despite the uncomfortable pew she slips into a light sleep.   
  
"Do you Lorelai Gilmore take him Jess Mariano to have and to hold, for better or worse, in sickness and in health 'til death do you part?"  
  
"I do."  
  
"And do you Jess Mariano take her Lorelai Gilmore to have and to hold, for better or worse, in sickness and in health 'til death do you part?"  
  
"I do."  
  
"Then I pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride."  
  
"Mommy! Mommy! Come look," a dark haired girl who Rory knows has to be her and Jess' daughter, "Daddy taught me how to hold my breath under water!"  
  
Rory smiles at her daughter, who grabs her hand and drags her to their pool, "all right show me."  
  
"All right Lorel jump in," Jess urges their daughter from inside the pool.  
  
"Okay!" The youngest Lorelai plugs her nose and then jumps into her father's waiting arms. "Now watch Mommy!" Lorel makes a big show of taking a deep breath and then putting her face in the water, where she remains for several seconds before she lifts her head out of the water shaking her hair out of her face. "Did you see Mommy?"  
  
"I saw." Rory grins, "good jump, you're going to be swimming by yourself in no time."  
  
"I know," Lorel giggles, "that's what Daddy said!"  
  
"Mom can you stop with the pictures?" 15-year-old Lorel Mariano requests her hands on her hips.  
  
"I just want to get pictures of your first day at Chilton, I know you'll love it there." Rory states snapping more pictures, "besides some of these are for Grandma Gilmore."  
  
"It's just my first day of high school, I don't know why it's such a big deal anyway." Lorel responds, "it's just school."  
  
"I know," Rory sighs, "all right I'm done. Your Dad is going to take you to school, just today and then you can start taking the bus every other day, all right?"  
  
"All right," Lorel nods, "I love you Mom."  
  
Rory hugs her daughter tightly, "I love you too, have a good first day."  
  
"Mom we have to leave, we're going to be late to our senior prom." Lorel clings tightly to her boyfriend James Gellar-Woodworth.  
  
Rory is nearly on the verge of tears watching her daughter in the gorgeous dark blue gown Lorelai had made for her granddaughter for her senior prom, "I know, all right. Be safe, all right?"  
  
"My Mom all ready gave us the safe sex and drinking and driving speech Lorelai," James laughs as he takes Lorel's hand.  
  
"Besides, Paris is a lot more blunt about it then you are." Lorel smiles at her mother, "I'll be late you don't have to wait up!"  
  
"Three o'clock curfew!" Jess calls after Lorel before slipping his arm around Rory's waist.  
  
"All right! Bye!"  
  
"Do I look all right?" Lorel faces her parents smoothing the gorgeous white dress down in front.  
  
"You look gorgeous," Jess quickly assures, "there's never been a more beautiful bride, with the exception of your mother. I know James will think the same thing."  
  
Rory carefully adjusts Lorel's hair and her veil, "you and James are going to be so happy."  
  
"I know," Lore nods, "and you know how I know?"  
  
"How?" Rory asks.  
  
"I know because I've grown up with you and Dad and I know you guys had your arguments but you were happy most the time and you made my life happy and that's what I want to have with James.  
  
Rory and Jess exchange glances, smiles and a kiss, Rory finally responds, "you will have what we have with James, I'm sure of it."  
  
  
  
Jess stands before Rory his skin is flawless, as if he hadn't died in a fire, and he wears all white, a smile across his face as he holds a small baby in his arms, "Rory I'm okay, it's all right, I'm going to take care of our baby."  
  
Rory feels the tears streaming down her cheeks, "no, I need you here with me. Please Jess, please just come back to me."  
  
"Rory this is what is meant to be," Jess whispers, "you'll be all right I promise."  
  
"You're wrong, I can't be all right without you before, I wasn't all right in New York no matter how much I faked it and I don't want to be all right without you."  
  
"Rory, Rory wake up," Rory is shaken awake by Georgia.  
  
Rory's eyes are nearly swollen shut by her tears but within a few seconds she is able to focus on the little girl standing in front of her holding a teddy bear, "how'd you get here?"  
  
"Lane." Georgia whispers and Rory realizes that she is nervous. "I'm sorry about Jess," Georgia whispers offering Rory the teddy bear.  
  
Instead of taking the present Rory lifts Georgia onto her lap and she wraps her arms tightly around the little girl, who clings to Rory as well, "I love you Georgia."  
  
"I love you too Rory." Georgia whispers into Rory's hair.  
  
Holding Georgia tightly Rory realizes that she has to stop falling apart, because she has to take care of Georgia and she can't do that if she couldn't hold herself together. So Rory makes a vow that she's not going to fall apart in front of Georgia, she is going to force herself to stay put together so long as Georgia is around. Rory clears her throat, "let's go find my mom all right?" Unwilling to let her sister go Rory carries her back to where she'd left Lorelai and she finds that Luke is with her. Luke's eyes are swollen with tears but he isn't crying and he is filling out Lorelai's release forms since she is unable to use her hand.  
  
"Are we ready to go?" Rory asks hugging Georgia close to her.  
  
Lorelai nods, "yes, Dean said he'd take us home. Luke's going to stay with us for awhile, all right?"  
  
Rory nods, "of course." Georgia settles her head on Rory's shoulder, and the tears that now wet Rory's shoulder and the soft sniffles give away Georgia's own tears.  
  
"I'll take her," Dean offers once they find him near the exit of the hospital.  
  
Rory shakes her head, needing the comfort that holding the little girl lends her, "I'm fine, but thank you."  
  
"Rory..."  
  
"Dean, please, just don't say anything I couldn't handle it right now." Rory responds in a soft whisper shooting a look at her mother and Luke, they have their arms wrapped around each other and Rory can't tell who is holding who up.  
  
Dean nods, "all right but if you need too..."  
  
"I know," Rory whispers.  
  
"Rory wait," they are in the parking lot Lane and Dean flank either side of Rory lending her their support when Kirk skids to a stop in front of them  
  
"What is it Kirk?" Rory asks, "we are supposed to meet my mom and Luke at the car.  
  
"I um," Kirk looks back and forth between Lorelai and Luke, "I need to, uh, talk to you, Rory."  
  
"Kirk, can't it wait?" Rory asks shifting Georgia's weight.  
  
"It's kind of important Rory." Kirk responds, "please."  
  
"Fine," Rory moves Georgia, who had fallen asleep, to Dean's waiting arm and allows herself to be dragged back toward the hospital. "What is going on Kirk?"  
  
"Just follow me." Kirk orders dragging Rory back toward the hospital.  
  
"Kirk, please I'm not in the mood for whatever it is you are up to." Rory snaps.  
  
"Rory for once just trust me," Kirk requests and Rory falls silent until they stop at a door. "Go in."  
  
"Kirk I'm not here on some community service project. I just want to go home."  
  
Kirk opens the door and forces Rory in, "just go."  
  
Rory stands with her back to the door, her heart in her throat, 'no,' Rory thinks to herself, 'don't get your hopes up, this isn't Jess, the entire building collapsed on him, there's no way he is in that bed. But Kirk is insistent, just go see.' Walking over to the man Rory peers down, trying to see past the welts and the burned skin and when she realized who it was it was all she could do to keep from throwing her arms around him.  
  
On the next Gilmore Girls:  
  
"Rory," Jess croaks, "I tried to get to you."  
  
Rory's lip trembles, "Jess?"  
  
"He's suffering from severe trauma to his neck and spine."  
  
"What does that mean, exactly?"  
  
"It means, he may never be able to walk again." 


	13. Waiting & Results

Chapter 12  
  
"Rory," Jess croaks, "I tried to get to you."  
  
Rory's lip trembles, "Jess?"  
  
"I tried..." Jess' voice cracks.  
  
Rory takes his bandaged hand, "shh, it's all right, you're here not, don't worry about it."  
  
"You were all..." Jess launches into a coughing fit.  
  
"Jess, please just rest." Rory's eyes are overfilling with tears and they gently slip down her cheeks.  
  
Jess makes a movement that Rory has to take as a head shake and he continues slowly on, "you were all I thought about in there."  
  
Rory sniffles to hold back the tears, "it's all right, I'm here and you're here, we're together."  
  
"Where is he." Luke bursts through the door and Rory can see the relief wash over him once he spots his nephew. "You idiot why would you go back in there."  
  
"Rory needs her mother, and you need Lorelai too." Jess responds.  
  
"Good, I'm glad to see that your family has arrived Mr. Mariano." An older female doctors walks into the room and around Luke, Rory and Lorelai who have all squeezed into the little hospital room.  
  
"We thought he died." Rory mumbles.  
  
"Nope," the doctor shakes her head, "he's not going to die, well not from fire injuries although it will be a long road to recovery. But right now I am taking Jess into have a MRI done to see the extent of his back injuries."  
  
"Back injuries?" Luke questions.  
  
"A beam fell on Jess and he was pinned until a firefighter risked his life to go in after him," the doctor responds.  
  
It takes Rory several seconds that she is squeezing her mother's hand tightly throughout the story, "is Jess going to be all right?"  
  
"We aren't exactly sure yet, as of right now Jess is unable to move his lower limbs but that could go away once pressure on the spinal cord is reduced, and the MRI will give us that answer."  
  
"How long until we get the results?" Luke asks.  
  
"Tomorrow morning." The doctor respond simply, "we'll take a look at them and figure out what Jess' options are."  
  
"So what are we supposed to do until then?" Rory asks.  
  
"I suggest you all go home and get some sleep, there's nothing you can do here and Jess will be sedated after his MRI."  
  
"But..." Luke and Rory both start to protest.  
  
"The doctor is right," Lorelai speaks up, "we need to get some sleep and there is a little girl waiting to go home."  
  
"You're sure there's nothing we can do here?" Rory asks.  
  
"Go." Jess urges from the bed.  
  
Rory stands over the bed wanting to touch Jess but afraid to hurt him, "I'll be back first thing in the morning."  
  
"All right," Jess mutters.  
  
"What's going on?" Georgia asks once they meet with her Dean and Lane in the waiting room, "I thought we were all sad?"  
  
"Jess is alive." Rory reassures the little girl.  
  
"Really? Good, I'm glad." Georgia announces. "He's kind of grumpy but I don't want him to be dead. But my Mommy and Daddy would have tooken care of him in heaven."  
  
"Taken care of him," Rory corrects but her heart goes out to her little orphan sister. "How about we stop and get some ice cream on the way home."  
  
"And 3 ice cream cones," Luke finishes ordering for Lorelai, Rory and Georgia and then finally adds, "and one more coffee."  
  
"Who's that for? Rory and I all ready ordered coffee." Lorelai looks at Luke suspiciously.  
  
"It's for me." Luke responds.  
  
"You don't drink coffee." Lorelai responds Luke.  
  
"I have a feeling I'm going to need it, I have to call the fire chief to find out what caused the fire, and then I have to call the insurance company to see if whatever caused the fire means I'm still insured."  
  
"You don't have to do that all today." Lorelai responds.  
  
"I might as well get it out of the way as soon as possible." Luke responds.  
  
Luke takes the coffee offered but the instant he takes a sip he makes a face, "how can you drink this everyday?"  
  
"Easily, now give it here, you don't like coffee and you never will." Lorelai holds her hand out for the cup of coffee.  
  
"That stuff'll kill you." Luke goes back to his old thoughts about his coffee.  
  
"Actually," Lorelai begins, "they are now saying that coffee prevents diabetes."  
  
"Right," Luke responds dubiously.  
  
"Can I try the coffee?" Georgia asks.  
  
"No." Luke responds quickly as both Rory and Lorelai ponder the question, "please tell me you aren't going to give her coffee?"  
  
Rory finally sighs, "no, not yet, wait a few years Georgia we'll let you have coffee when we think you'll appreciate the taste."  
  
"I don't want to be there the day you make her a coffee junkie like the two of you." Luke states.  
  
"Fine, then we won't invite you to the party."  
  
"I get a party?" Georgia asks.  
  
Rory laughs at her mother and then responds, "we'll see."  
  
"Rory you are happier." Georgia comments.  
  
Rory stops to think for a minute, the last few days' problems seem to have melted away at the sight of Jess lying there in that bed, "yeah, I guess I am."  
  
"Good, I didn't like when you were said, it makes me sad." Georgia states.  
  
Rory hugs her little sister, "I'll try to be in a better mood, all right?" Rory asks.  
  
Georgia nods, "good. Can I go play on the playground?"  
  
Rory nods, "go ahead but only for a couple minutes because you have to come back and eat something."  
  
"All right, thank you Rory!" Georgia calls skipping off toward the playground.  
  
"Rory what are you still doing up?" Lorelai comes into the kitchen nearing one the next morning.  
  
Rory sits at the kitchen table putting the finishing touches on second edition of the town bulletin for Taylor, "yeah I wanted to get this finished."  
  
"Oh Rory," Lorelai sighs, "that could wait for awhile I'm sure Taylor would understand that you aren't up to it."  
  
Rory shakes her head, "I really wanted to get it done, I'm sure I'll be at the hospital." In all reality Rory didn't want to go to sleep for fear that she would dream again of the baby and the life she had lost.  
  
"Rory don't push yourself so hard," Lorelai urges.  
  
"I'm just anxious to hear what the doctor has to say, what time did he say we have to be there?"  
  
"Elevnish, why don't you get some sleep?"  
  
"What do the tests say?" Rory asks trying to stifle a yawn, she hadn't slept the night before.  
  
"He's suffering from severe trauma to his neck and spine."  
  
"What does that mean, exactly?" Luke questions his hand griping Lorelai's uninjured hand.  
  
"It means, he may never be able to walk again."  
  
Rory's eyes fall on Jess who's expression remains stony, "is that a guarantee, are you saying there aren't any chances that Jess will walk again?"  
  
"Certainly not, we have to wait and see," the doctor responds, her voice is upbeat, "we have to do some further treatment and rehab could help as well."  
  
"So basically you know nothing." Luke snaps.  
  
"I'm sorry, Jess' situation is really one that you have to wait out and see what happens." The doctor's beeper goes off then, "I have to take this but I will be back later to talk about this further."  
  
Once the doctor has disappeared Rory hugs Jess, he'd been lucky in the respect that the beam had protected him from any serious burns to his body, Rory cries softly into Jess' shoulder and strangely enough Jess is the one comforting Rory.  
  
On the next Gilmore Girls:  
  
"I thought you would be returning to the city once the summer was over?" Emily questions Rory.  
  
Rory shakes her head, "things have changed, I have to stay with Jess."  
  
"Rory I know you have deep feelings for this boy but you can' put your life on hold while you wait for him to figure out if he will ever walk again."  
  
"I'm staying here with you." Rory declares.  
  
"No, you're not, you are going back to the city where you can have your job and the life you deserve!" Jess yells. 


	14. Double Teaming

Chapter 13  
  
"I really wanted to spend the evening at the hospital Mom." Rory sighs as they sit in the car heading toward her grandparents house.  
  
"I know," Lorelai responds, "but they wanted us to come and Luke is spending the evening with Jess. You've hardly seen them since you've been here and I figured that it was easier to just give into Emily Gilmore's demands than to fight them."  
  
Rory leans against the headrest exhaustion slowly washing over her, she'd spent most of the night before at the hospital only to be woken up early by Georgia who'd had a nightmare nearing three in the morning and then couldn't sleep. "Georgia was pretty shaken about her nightmare."  
  
"You used to have them when you were her age," Lorelai assures, "it's just her age. Did she tell you what they were about?"  
  
"She just said that she had a dream that a fire monster was eating everyone." Rory sighs, "the fire really shook her up, but I think she's more afraid of losing more people she cares about."  
  
"Probably," Lorelai nods turning onto the exit, "she's a little girl and she's been through a lot all ready."  
  
"I know, so I was thinking I was going to find her a therapist. I know she's young but I want her to grow normally and losing both your parents at such an early age can do some psychological problems I don't want her to have to deal with when she's older."  
  
"You mean when you get back to New York." Lorelai urges Rory to confirm her plans to return to the city but Rory remains silent.  
  
"Rory, dear hello." Emily greets after greeting her daughter and commenting on her bandaged hand.  
  
"Hi Grandma." Rory greets, relieved to be out of the uncomfortably silent jeep.  
  
"I'm glad you decided to come to dinner, where's Georgia?" Emily questions.  
  
"She's actually at Dean's," Rory responds, "she likes to play with his oldest son, so they were going to hang out while we came to dinner."  
  
"Dean, that nice young boy you dated when you were younger?" Emily inquires.  
  
"Yes," Rory nods.  
  
"Are you guys..." Emily lets her suggestion trail.  
  
"No," Rory shakes her head adamantly, "not at all. He's divorced, he has a son Georgia's age, but there is nothing between us."  
  
"Well that's a shame." Emily comments, "why don't we come into the living room and talk some more."  
  
"So Rory when do you and Georgia return to the city? I imagine her school must be starting soon." Richard asks once everyone has settled onto the couches.  
  
Rory can almost feel her body go limp, there was no getting around this topic tonight, "actually I've gotten some school applications around Stars Hollow."  
  
"I thought you would be returning to the city once the summer was over?" Emily questions Rory.  
  
Rory shakes her head, "things have changed, I have to stay with Jess."  
  
"Rory I know you have deep feelings for this boy but you can' put your life on hold while you wait for him to figure out if he will ever walk again." Emily's words are blunt and they sting, but Rory's been expecting them but the one thing she wasn't expecting was the look of disappointment on her mother's face or the words that come with the look.  
  
"Rory, I think your Grandmother is right."  
  
"You what?" Is the only response Rory can muster.  
  
Richard watches the group of grown women in a situation none of them have been in before, for once in her life Rory's mother and grandmother are siding against her. "I think we need to talk this out rationally, I'm sure Rory has some valid reasons for wanting to stay."  
  
"Jess needs me," Rory states simply.  
  
"Rory, sweetie," Lorelai takes a deep breath, "I know how you feel about Jess. But you have a life in New York, and a job, and friends and an apartment."  
  
Rory listens quietly as her mother lists these things and then she simply shakes her head, "I'm an adult and I can make this decision. It's not just about Jess either, obviously he's the factor that convinced me to stay, but Georgia loves it here she has friends here and she loves the town she doesn't want to go back to New York City so I'm not, we're not."  
  
"Hi Rory," Dean pulls his front door open when Rory reaches his house around 9:30, "you look tired."  
  
"It's been a long couple of days." Rory comments, "is Georgia ready?"  
  
"Yeah hang on a second," Dean calls up the stairs, "Donny! Georgia! Rory is here!"  
  
The two come thundering down the stairs, white sheets draped around their clothes, "Rory! You're all ready here?" Georgia pouts.  
  
Rory nods, "yes, and it's past your bedtime."  
  
"Dad, can Georgia spend the night?" Donny asks facing Dean.  
  
"Yeah, can I spend the night Rory?" Georgia turns her pleading blue eyes on Rory.  
  
Dean looks toward Rory, "your call."  
  
Rory shakes her head, "I'm sorry guys but not tonight, Georgia didn't get much sleep last night and it's all ready past bedtime. We'll have to try for another day."  
  
"But Rory..." Georgia crosses her arms over her chest, "please, I'm not even a little bit tired."  
  
"Not tonight Georgia." Rory sighs, "don't fight me on this and let's just go."  
  
"But..."  
  
"No buts," Rory responds, "now let's go."  
  
"Fine." Georgia scowls as she stalks after Rory calling over her shoulder, "bye Donny!"  
  
"You're going straight home and to bed." Rory insists.  
  
"Fine, whatever." Georgia snaps.  
  
Rory eyes her little sister, the girl was asking for a fight and Rory was itching for one after having been attacked at dinner. "Loose the attitude."  
  
"I don't have to if I don't wanna." Georgia's tone is mutinous.  
  
"Oh yes you do," Rory responds, "I'm not in the mood to deal with your attitude problems." The two continue toward the house in vexed silence.  
  
"I'm sleeping on the couch." Georgia declares, "I don't want to sleep in any room you're sleeping in."  
  
"Fine," Rory responds, "the couch is all yours."  
  
Georgia slams the door after they have walked in and then storms to the bedroom the pillow and blankets on the cot she had been sleeping on before stomping back into the living room and arranging the blankets on her own.  
  
The next morning was no better than the night before, the entire house was chilly with hurt and annoyed feelings and no one could wait to get out of there. Lorelai had left early with Luke to get breakfast and then he was heading to talk things over, again, with the insurance company and Lorelai was going to the inn, there was a huge wedding to be held at the inn the next day and she had a lot of things to keep her busy. Lane had stopped by just after Lorelai left to pick up Georgia whom she had offered to watch while Rory headed to the hospital for awhile.  
  
"She seems to be in a good mood this morning." Lane comments while Georgia waits for her on the sidewalk.  
  
"She's mad at me," Rory responds, "but she should be fine for you."  
  
"Why's she mad?" Lane questions.  
  
"Everyone's tempers were flaring last night, Georgia's mad at me, my mom and I aren't speaking..." Rory sighs, "maybe it's just me."  
  
"You look tired." Lane comments, "and that's understandable you've had to deal with one thing after another the last week."  
  
Rory's sigh is much deeper this time, "I've guess I've just got to learn to deal with everything better than I have. I can't keep falling apart, and as for the fire, I don't know, things here are starting to make New York look slow."  
  
"Ready to get back there?" Lane asks.  
  
"I'm not going back," Rory shrugs, "but we have to talk about this later, I don't want to explain it to anyone else right now."  
  
"I'm staying here with you." Rory declares, so much for not explaining everything again.  
  
"No, you're not, you are going back to the city where you can have your job and the life you deserve!" Jess yells.  
  
"I want to be here." Rory declares.  
  
"No." Jess states firmly.  
  
"Who are you to make my decisions for me?" Rory asks.  
  
"When they are made because of me then I am." Jess responds, "you're not giving everything up for me. You've all ready been through too much because of me."  
  
"And I thought we just realized that running away wasn't the answer."  
  
"This isn't running away, Rory, this is walking away and there's a difference."  
  
On the next Gilmore Girls:  
  
"So you're staying?"  
  
"No."  
  
"You're not staying."  
  
"No."  
  
"Then what are you doing Rory?"  
  
"I don't know anymore."  
  
"I thought you weren't putting her in that school in New York?"  
  
"I'm still not sure what I'm doing, she needs to at least go to the interview."  
  
"Oops." Georgia turns an innocent smile on Rory as the headmasters face goes red.  
  
Sorry it took so long to update, things are getting crazy around here with only 32 days left in my high school career. But I promise I'll update as often as possible, there's still so much left to do in this story and yet...not...all right that makes no sense...But look for an update I hope one will be coming soon...It's also kind of getting hard for me to do the emotion Jess and Rory stuff so there probably won't be much of that in the next chapter but don't worry there will be more stuff coming because as a sneak peek Rory still hasn't told Jess everything there is to tell... 


	15. Interview

Chapter 14  
  
"Rory there was a message on the machine for you," Lorelai states when Rory walks into the house later that day, no less tired than she had been the day before.  
  
"Who from?" Rory asks, to tired to keep up the motions of being angry with her mother.  
  
"That school of Georgia's, Bright Academy or whatever." Lorelai responds.  
  
"What did they want?" Rory asks.  
  
"The woman said something about an interview." Lorelai responds, "she was checking to make sure you and Georgia would be there tomorrow."  
  
"Oh God!" Rory exclaims, "the interview, I completely forgot about it. I knew it was coming up but with everything I completely forgot."  
  
"They left a number to call if you are canceling, if not your appointment is tomorrow at three o'clock sharp."  
  
Rory sighs, "I have to go get Georgia, we have to go to the mall, I have to find her something to wear."  
  
"I'm sure she has something to wear." Lorelai offers, "or we could throw something together for her."  
  
Rory shakes her head, "we need to go shopping, besides maybe it will make her less upset with me."  
  
"I could take her." Lorelai suggests, "you spent the whole day at the hospital, and you haven't had any rest. Take the night off."  
  
"No," Rory shakes her head, "it's fine, I can take her. You worked all day too."  
  
"It's fine, she's at Lane's right? It'll be fun, relaxing." Lorelai states, "just get some rest."  
  
Rory finally consents, "if you're sure."  
  
"I'm positive." Lorelai responds, "Luke's staying over again tonight."  
  
Rory raises her eyebrows at her mother, "all right."  
  
Lorelai grins at her daughter, "it's all going faster than I imagined it could."  
  
"Well it's been a long process for the rest of us." Rory responds, "it took you guys most of my life to get together so you better stay that way."  
  
Lorelai laughs at her daughters comment but then changes the topic, "all right, well get some rest and I will see you later."  
  
Half an hour later Rory was planted on the couch unwilling to think about anything but the mindless television show in front of her, when the doorbell rang. Hoisting herself up she curses whoever it is at the door for disrupting her rest but she pulls the door open just the same to reveal Dean standing there with a pizza box, a bag from Doosey's and a stack of movies.  
  
"Dean what are you doing here?"  
  
"Your mom called me actually, she said you had the house to yourself and could either use company or the food." Dean responds, "so I brought both and you can take whatever you want."  
  
Rory thinks for a minute, part of her would rather have the house to herself but some company did sound all right, for awhile at least. "Come in Dean."  
  
"I don't have to, if you want to be alone."  
  
"Come in Dean." Rory repeats.  
  
  
  
"So your Mom says you may be staying in Stars Hollow." Dean comments once they have settled down with the pizza.  
  
"She's going around telling people then?" Rory asks.  
  
"She just thought that I could be an impartial person for you to talk it over with."  
  
"She wants me to go back to New York."  
  
"So you're staying?"  
  
"No."  
  
"You're not staying."  
  
"No."  
  
"Then what are you doing Rory?"  
  
"I don't know anymore." Rory sighs dropping her now unappealing pizza back into the box. "I thought I had it all figured out, even when Georgia moved in with me it barely fazed me I was just going with the flow. But coming back her made me realize I wasn't going with the flow I was going throw the motions of being all right, and that I haven't known what I want for a long time, and now isn't any different."  
  
"You've been through a lot in the last couple of days. In a respect your mother is right about how you shouldn't stay in Stars Hollow because of Jess' accident, but it's still your choice to make."  
  
"I love Jess." Rory states simply, "I don't think I've ever stopped loving him, I've just shoved it so far out of my thoughts that I didn't realize it. But coming back here made me realize that despite everything I do love Jess and I don't know if I can loose him again, I almost lost him and it made me realize that I shouldn't loose what I could have."  
  
"So then stay."  
  
"Jess doesn't want me to," Rory confides, "he doesn't want me to give up my life for him."  
  
"Maybe he's right, but it's your life to give up." Dean points out.  
  
"That's what I keep telling everyone, but it doesn't seem to get through to them."  
  
"You'll figure it out." Dean assures, "but I think I will let you get some rest, I know you've been non-stop for the last couple of days and I'm sure you are on the verge of exhaustion. Give me a call after the interview tomorrow, I'd like to take you to dinner."  
  
"Really?" Rory asks, dinner sounded nice.  
  
"If you want."  
  
"I do," Rory nods.  
  
"Good," Dean offers Rory a warm platonic hug before he walks out of the house.  
  
Thinking that she could finally relax the phone rings, "hello?"  
  
"Rory, it's your grandmother," Emily's voice is slightly less than confident when speaking to Rory.  
  
"Hi Grandma," Rory suddenly feels bad for snapping at her grandmother the night before.  
  
"Is your mother around?"  
  
"Actually she took Georgia shopping."  
  
"For what?" Emily asks.  
  
"She has an interview at that private school tomorrow," Rory responds.  
  
"I thought you weren't putting her in that school in New York?"  
  
"I'm still not sure what I'm doing, she needs to at least go to the interview." Rory states firmly.  
  
"Well I think that's smart." Emily assures, "keep your options open, you don't need to make all your decisions right now. Anyway could you have your mother call me, I wish to speak to her about having a meeting at her inn."  
  
"I'll have her call you." Rory assures Emily before hanging up and heading to her room, where she disconnected the phone and was instantly asleep.  
  
"I don't want to go this stupid interview." Georgia's words wake Rory up the next morning.  
  
"It's just an interview," Lorelai is assuring Georgia, "I'm sure it won't take long."  
  
"But I don't wanna go to this stupid school!" Georgia's pout is audible in her voice.  
  
Rory stretches out on the bed and finally sits up, she hadn't even heard Georgia come in the night before and glancing at the cot by her bed it's obvious that Georgia hadn't slept in the bedroom again. Rory had fallen sound asleep still clothed so she slips into out of her bedroom and into the kitchen where Luke is making breakfast and Lorelai and Georgia are squared off. "Morning Rory." Luke greets.  
  
"Rory, can I please not go to this interview?" Georgia asks, obviously over her vendetta about not being able to spend the night at Donny's.  
  
"You have to go to the interview." Rory responds as she graciously accepts a cup of coffee from Luke, who Luke's just as exhausted as she had felt before a long night sleep. "What is your insurance company saying?"  
  
"The fire department found that there was some wiring problems with the new contractor that just rewired some things for me last month." Luke responds. "My insurance company has talked to the electricians lawyer and they have agreed to pay for all damages, including any medical treatment Jess will need."  
  
Rory nods, "that's good news at least."  
  
"It doesn't help Jess anything though," Luke's frustrations surfaces in his voice, "that damn beam Taylor said I need to make building code saved Jess life, it's the only thing that kept him from burning in the fire."  
  
Lorelai lays a gentle hand on Luke's arm, "Jess will be all right."  
  
Georgia nods solemnly, "uh-huh, he'll be okay. Teague said that the only way he survived damn good will to live and..."  
  
"Georgia Grace!" Rory exclaims staring stunned at the little girl in front of her.  
  
"What?" Georgia shrugs, "and then Lane said that he only made it out alive for Rory."  
  
These words shock Rory but within seconds she has come out of her shock and her parenting has taken over, "Georgia you don't use words like that."  
  
"Words like what?" Georgia questions.  
  
"Like what you just said."  
  
"Damn?" Georgia asks.  
  
"Yes, don't say it anymore."  
  
"But Luke did." Georgia   
  
Luke looks sheepish, "sorry."  
  
"All right, are you ready to go in?" Rory asks once they are standing in front of the headmasters door.  
  
"Do I have to?" Georgia asks.  
  
"Yes." Rory adjusts Georgia's blonde curls and her new dress.  
  
"Then I'm ready." Georgia shuffles her feet as she follows Rory in.  
  
"Hello," the headmaster is an older man, who reminds Rory of her headmaster from high school. "You must be Georgia Hayden, and her sister Lorelai Gilmore?"  
  
Rory nods, "that's correct."  
  
"Oops." Georgia turns an innocent smile on Rory as the headmasters face goes red, a pool of coffee spreading across his desk.  
  
Rory covers her face with her hands unwilling to watch the anger on the headmaster's face, "I'm sorry headmaster, we'll see ourselves out."  
  
On the next Gilmore Girls:  
  
"Rory come on we have to go to the hospital." Lorelai rushes into the kitchen.  
  
"Why? What's wrong?"  
  
"Jess' doctor has some news, but Jess wants you to be there before the doctor gives him the news."  
  
Jess takes a deep breath, "with this news I think we need to talk about the future, about us." 


	16. Decision

Chapter 15  
  
"It wasn't really that bad was it?" Lane is asking into the phone as Rory sits in the kitchen explaining out Georgia's interview the day before had gone.  
  
"It really was, she said she didn't want to go there but I never figured she would purposely make herself unacceptable." Georgia walks by then and she giggles and Rory can't help but laugh at her sister.   
  
"So what time did you guys get home last night?" Lane asks.  
  
"Not until late," Rory responds, "we stopped at our all time favorite diner in the city for dinner, it's nothing like Luke's but we ate there a lot when we were in the city."  
  
"Tell Lane they have the best fried potatoes in the entire world!" Georgia exclaims enthusiastically.  
  
Rory repeats the statement and Lane comments, "you sound like you miss the city all of a sudden."  
  
"Yeah, I guess I do, I didn't realize it until I went back. I guess I do miss it, but it's so different from Stars Hollow, everything about it is different."  
  
"So I'm guessing your rethinking staying."  
  
"I don't know what I'm doing, and I wish I could just stop thinking about it but I can't because I have to figure these things out. But I do know that I don't want to talk about it anymore."  
  
"Rory come on we have to go to the hospital." Lorelai rushes into the kitchen.  
  
"Why? What's wrong?"  
  
"Jess' doctor has some news, but Jess wants you to be there before the doctor gives him the news."  
  
"All right," Rory speaks into the phone, "Lane I have to go, I'll call you later." Turning to her mother as she hurries out the door with Georgia at her heels she asks, "where's Luke?"  
  
"He's at the hospital, he just called me on my cell phone." Lorelai responds.  
  
45 minutes later everyone is seated in chairs around Jess' hospital room when his doctor comes in, "it's good to see all of you again," the doctor greets formally.  
  
"What do the results say?" Luke asks immediately.  
  
"The swelling around Jess' spinal cord has gone down so we did another MRI to see how things looked in his back and the results are hopeful."  
  
"Hopeful?" Lorelai asks as Rory holds her breath, wanting to hear everything before getting her hopes up.  
  
"The chances of Jess walking again are nearly 90% meaning with a lot of physical therapy Jess will be able to walk again without a problem, but it's a long hard road you have ahead of you Mr. Mariano."  
  
Jess' face for the first time in days shows what he is truly feeling as relief washes over his features along with everyone else in the room. "I'm going to walk again?" Jess asks.  
  
The doctor nods, "if you work at it."  
  
Jess' gaze catches Rory's tear filled eyes, "don't worry about that." He assures everyone in the room and Rory's features seem to melt.  
  
"Good," the doctor nods, "as soon as your energy is built back up we will get you started on a physical therapy regime. I have other patients I have attend to but I will be back later with a tentative schedule for you."  
  
"Thank you doctor." Jess states as the busy doctor hurries out of the hospital room.  
  
"Congratulations." Luke and Lorelai offer before they make a less than subtle exit from the hospital room, taking Georgia with them.  
  
Rory quickly wipes at the, for the first time in days, happy tears streaming down her cheeks, "congratulations, you'll walk again, I knew you would."  
  
Jess takes a deep breath, "with this news I think we need to talk about the future, about us."  
  
"Jess..." It hadn't even been an hour ago that she had told Lane that she didn't know what she wanted to do and didn't want to discuss it and yet again someone wanted to talk about it.  
  
"I've been thinking since you left the other day," Jess motions for Rory to sit on the bed next to him and she does, tentatively. "And maybe you're right, if you still want to stay in Stars Hollow I'm not going to fight you on it."  
  
"You...you're not?" Rory asks.  
  
"No. I was thinking we could do everything for the right reasons this time. Get married, we could have a huge wedding, invite the entire town. You'll make a beautiful bride and Georgia could be the flower girl..." Jess is getting carried away and Rory can't help but find it cute. "And we can have a another baby."  
  
If it was physically possible Rory's heart would have stopped at his words and she shakes her head, "no."  
  
Jess expression falls again and he sighs, "there's more, isn't there?"  
  
Rory takes a deep breath, making herself promise that she won't cry, "a little bit."  
  
Jess closes his eyes and Rory can see his chest rise and fall, the sound of their breathing the only sound in the room, leaving Rory unsure of whether she should or even wants to break the silence consuming the room and choking her. "I don't know if I can handle anymore Rory." Jess responds softly.  
  
"I know, I'll go, we can talk later." Rory responds moving slowly off the bed and when Jess doesn't stop her she walks out of the hospital room.  
  
"So this is good news then, huh hun?" Lorelai asks when Rory emerges from the hospital room.  
  
Rory offers a forced smile, "great news. Can we go home...I have things..."  
  
Lorelai looks concerned, "all right. Are you coming now Luke?"  
  
"I think I'm going to stay here awhile longer," Luke responds, "I'll see you at home."  
  
"All right," Lorelai kisses Luke and the woman head back towards the car.  
  
"Mom do you mind dropping me off at the park?" Rory asks as they begin to approach it on their way home, "I need some quiet time."  
  
"All right," Lorelai switches the appropriate lanes and pulls up to the curb, "we'll see you at home."  
  
Rory steps out of the car and wanders the park her thoughts leaving her in her own little world, Jess had made her realize today that she had put to many secrets between them for them to be able to bounce back from that. She couldn't expect anything from their relationship because of their history, it was something that had taken her years to get over and she didn't doubt that Jess would have his own problems with the secrets to get around as well. There had just been too many obstacles in their relationship and Rory knew how to quit I while she was ahead and that was what she was going to do, because third time obviously wasn't the charm in their case and she was done trying to fight the inevitable. They just weren't meant to be together.   
  
With that realization Rory walks back to her house finding her mother and sister sitting in front of the TV she declares, "we need to talk."  
  
"Rory what's going on? Have you decided that we are gonna stay here?" Georgia asks.  
  
Rory shakes her head, "we are going to go back to the city."  
  
"But I wanna..."  
  
"I know you want to stay here." Rory sighs, "but it just won't work. But if it's okay with my Mom you can stay for the rest of the summer while I get things set up in New York."  
  
Georgia seems to think this over, deciding whether or not arguing would persuade Rory to stay, by the looks of it arguing wouldn't get her anywhere. So Georgia turns to Lorelai, "can I stay for the rest of the summer?"  
  
Lorelai nods, "of course you can stay for the rest of the summer, you can stay here whenever Rory says you can."  
  
"Can I stay here forever?" Georgia asks.  
  
"Wouldn't you miss Rory?" Lorelai asks.  
  
Georgia thinks this over for a minute, "yeah, I guess I would."  
  
"You can come back right before school starts," Rory informs, "and you don't have to go to a private school."  
  
"Really?" Georgia looks hopeful.  
  
Rory nods, "we an use the money your mother left you to start a college fund, or maybe you can go to a private high school, but elementary school seems a little extreme."  
  
"Yay!" Georgia claps her hands. "Thank you Rory. Can I call Donny and tell him?"  
  
Rory nods, "his phone number at Dean's and his mother is by the phone in the living room."  
  
"Why are you doing this Rory?" Lorelai asks. "I figured when you and Jess found out that he would be able to walk you would work out your problems and you'd never go back to the city."  
  
"I thought you wanted me to go back to the city."  
  
"I do, but I thought that you wanted to be with Jess."  
  
"He practically proposed today." Rory sighs, "he wants to get married. He wants to get married and have another baby."  
  
"I'm sorry sweetie," Lorelai responds softly, "how'd he take it?"  
  
"He didn't, I didn't tell him."  
  
"Rory..."  
  
"He didn't want to hear it and I didn't want to say it."  
  
"You have to tell him."  
  
Rory nods, "I know, but I can't do it in person. I'm heading back to the city tomorrow, I'll crash with friends until I can get another apartment."  
  
"So soon?" Lorelai asks.  
  
Rory nods, "I have to get out of here."  
  
Lorelai nods understanding, "all right, want me to drive you up?"  
  
Rory shakes her head, "I want to take the train, I need some time alone."  
  
"You, Teague and T.J. will come visit us in the city right?" Rory asks facing Lane.  
  
Lane nods, "more often than before, I promise. It was nice having you home for the summer Rory."  
  
Rory nods, "I know, I was glad to be home. And I'll be back, the longer I am away the harder it is for me to remember how much I love this place, Jess won't keep me away this time. Besides I think it's going to be a problem if a separate Donny and Georgia for long."  
  
"She'll be fine here." Lane assures.  
  
Rory nods, "I know."  
  
"I love you baby." Lorelai hugs her daughter tightly followed by Luke who does the same.  
  
"Have a safe trip." Luke urges.  
  
"I will." Rory assures and then pulling something out of her pocket she hands it to Luke, "could you give that to Jess? It explains everything that neither once of us would have the emotional stability to do in person."  
  
Luke nods taking the envelope, "I'll give it to him today when I go see him."  
  
"Be good to my mom," Rory requests and then facing her mother she whispers to her, "and you be good to Luke, he's a softy at heart."  
  
Lorelai grins at her daughter, "will do."  
  
Rory kneels before her sister, "be good, all right. If you give anyone trouble you are coming right back to the city with me for the remainder of the summer."  
  
Georgia nods, "I'll be good."  
  
"All right," Rory straightens as the bus comes down the road.  
  
"You're sure you don't want me to drive you to the train station?" Lorelai asks.  
  
Rory nods, "I'll see you all in August."  
  
On the next Gilmore Girls:  
  
There's just to much going on in the concluding chapter to reveal here...all right not that thrilling but I'm not putting any teasers this time...But everything will be tied up in a nice little package...or will it? 


	17. All She Needs

Chapter 16  
  
"Rory!" Georgia exclaims when Rory walks into their apartment after work.  
  
"Hi Georgia," Rory greets shaking off her jacket and hanging it up, the December weather was biting cold and she was glad to be in her warm apartment.  
  
"Hi Rory," Johanna, Georgia's teenaged baby-sitter, joins them in the living room.  
  
"Hi Johanna," Rory hands the girl a check, "here's your check for the week and we will see you after Christmas."  
  
Johanna smiles at the two, "well have fun, where are you going again?"  
  
"To Stars Hollow, where Donny lives." Georgia responds cheerfully. "We haven't been back since I went back for Thanksgiving and Rory couldn't go then 'cause she had to work."  
  
"Well, have fun," Johanna calls as she slips out the door to go home the floor below Rory and Georgia.  
  
"When can we leave?" Georgia asks.  
  
"As soon as you get packed." Rory responds.  
  
"I'm already packed," Georgia responds, "Johanna helped me."  
  
"All right, well give me a couple minutes to get everything together and then we can go." Rory responds, "you have everything for school finished?"  
  
Georgia nods, "Johanna made me do it before she would let me pack."   
  
Rory nods, "all right." She had been lucky in finding Johanna, she lived in the apartment building Rory had moved into when she had left Stars Hollow over the summer, Johanna was in a personal home schooling program and was willing to baby-sit six days a week and on top of it all Georgia adored her. "Well then why don't you read that book we got in the bookstore the other day?" When Georgia willingly complies Rory sets about to gather both of the duffel bags she had packed the night before, one filled with her clothing the other with the presents for everyone back home. Within minutes Rory is has finished getting Georgia's things set by the front door as well and she turns to face her, "all right, we can leave now if you are ready, I think we have time to get some dinner on the way to the train station too."  
  
"Yay!" Georgia jumps up quickly, marking her spot and then running to grab her bag.  
  
Lorelai is waiting for them at the train station, both Rory and Georgia's attention are immediately grabbed by the gaudy Christmas light earrings that flash different colors. "Hi sweets." Lorelai greets, hugging both of the girls. "So guess what?" Lorelai asks on the way to the car.  
  
"What?" Rory and Georgia asks together.  
  
"Tonight is the town Christmas party." Lorelai responds.  
  
"We know, that's why we came tonight instead of tomorrow morning."  
  
"Yes, but where the party will be held this year is what you don't know." Lorelai responds mysteriously.  
  
"Not at the house." Rory sighs. "Because the last time you had the genius idea to have the party at our house it was a disaster. Worse, some would say, than the year Kirk decided to host it."  
  
"No not our house," Lorelai waves Rory off, "you goofy girl. No it will be held at Luke's."  
  
"Luke is hosting...well anything?" Rory asks.  
  
Lorelai nods laughing, "I talked him into it."  
  
"But Luke's isn't finished." Rory points out.  
  
"So I led you to believe my dear daughter, but in truth it is completed and waiting for the perfect thing to open it conveniently it is completed right in time for Christmas."  
  
"I can't believe you talked Luke into this." Rory laughs.  
  
Lorelai grins at her daughter, "I know!"  
  
"So can we go and see the diner?" Georgia asks.  
  
Lorelai shakes her head, "no everyone is over there setting up, besides we only have enough time to get ourselves ready."  
  
"So what have we missed since Thanksgiving?" Rory asks as they settle in the car.  
  
"Well Lindsay got moved to Colorado well and the kids are living with Dean permanently. Dean has a new girlfriend, Hailey, who is perfect for him and she has two kids of her own, twins, Ashton and Brianna. They are your age Georgia and they can't to meet you," as a side note to Rory Lorelai adds, "which could be because Donny hasn't stopped talking about her since he found out you guys were coming."  
  
"How's Lane?" Rory asks.  
  
"She's been a little under the weather," Lorelai responds cautiously.  
  
"That happens your first trimester of pregnancy." Rory responds, letting her mother know that her best friend had clued her in on her pregnancy.  
  
"She did tell you," Lorelai breathes, relieved.  
  
"She called last week, she says she's showing all ready and didn't want to surprise me." Catching her mother's glances she responds, "I'm fine."  
  
"Are you?" Lorelai asks.  
  
Rory nods, "I, um, I've been seeing a psychologist, something I should have done awhile ago. But there's two doctors in the office that I take Georgia to and I go when she does every two weeks."  
  
Lorelai nods, "good." Taking a deep breath Lorelai seems to think that while they are on the subject of touchy subjects she adds, "Jess is still in town."  
  
Rory nods, "I know. Georgia said you guys had Thanksgiving dinner with him and Luke."  
  
Lorelai nods, "we are having Christmas dinner with them again, unless that's to uncomfortable in which case we don't have to..."  
  
"It's fine." Rory responds, taking a deep breath trying to calm her fraying nerves, maybe dinner was a bit to much.  
  
"It's a big thing we are having with everyone at the inn, so you won't even have to see him if you don't want to." Lorelai adds.  
  
"It's fine."  
  
"I wouldn't have made the plans but..."  
  
"Mom," Rory finally catches Lorelai's attention repeating, "it's fine."  
  
"Hi." Rory shifts uncomfortably in front of Jess, it just figures that he was the first person she literally ran into at the town part.  
  
"Hi." Jess seems just as nervous as he balances himself with a cane, Lorelai has said that he needed it to walk until he completed his physical therapy.  
  
"Luke's looks good, exactly the same." Rory comments.  
  
Jess nods, "yeah it looks great. Listen uh my stuff's all upstairs, I'm staying in the apartment there, there's a book I want to lend you."  
  
Rory's brow furrows, "Jess we can't just..."  
  
Jess' expression is pleading, "please Rory, just come upstairs with me."  
  
With a sigh Rory resigns, glancing around the crowded diner she checks to make sure that Georgia is still occupied with Donny and the twins before following Jess upstairs. "Jess you don't have to make excuses to get me up here, if you wanted to talk we could talk you could have just said that."  
  
"Here," Jess forces a book into Rory's hand.  
  
"Oh I..."  
  
"I know, just read it, all right?" Jess asks.  
  
"All right," Rory agrees.  
  
"Not here, later." Jess adds before hobbling to the door and down the stairs ahead of Rory as she investigates the book. It looks to be a journal of some sort, with recycled pages that make it look old and a leather cover around it.   
  
"Your daughter just snuck up to Jess' apartment," Luke informs Lorelai his eyes still focused on the door leading to the stairs that lead to the apartment.  
  
Lorelai's eyes shift from the punch she was pouring for herself and Luke, "oh. That's...new." But before their minds can go any further processing this development Jess has come back downstairs and Rory isn't very far behind him. "So are we ready then?"  
  
"Do we have to do this today?" Luke seems reluctant, "as a big announcement?"  
  
"Yes," Lorelai tugs on Luke's sleeve, "let's go mister." Lorelai stands up in front of the crowd clearing her throat she stands on a chair despite Luke's chiding, "excuse me!" The crowd in the diner goes silent watching Luke and Lorelai expectantly. "Come on Luke," Lorelai pulls at him and despite his protests she pulls him onto the chair with her.   
  
Expectant whisperings float around the group and Luke asks, "can I get down now Lorelai?"  
  
"No," Lorelai shakes her head, "Luke and I have an announcement to make." Lorelai catches Rory's gaze in the crowd and Rory is flashing her a bright, encouraging smile. "All right, well, I'll just say it. Luke and I are getting married."  
  
There are calls of, "finally!" and "took you long enough!" in the group and Lorelai elbows Luke to continue, he runs his hand through his hair and finally says, "you are all invited to the wedding, tomorrow before Sookie's Christmas dinner."  
  
Luke helps Lorelai down then and the entire diner crowds around them asking them a thousand questions and trying to congratulate them all at once but the crowd easily let's Rory through to hug her mother. "I can't believe you are getting married tomorrow," Rory stares shocked at her mother.  
  
"I know," Lorelai laughs, she laughs the laugh of someone who is truly in love, "but Luke proposed last night and we were going to plan an entire wedding but we didn't want to wait."  
  
"I'm so happy for you!" Rory throws her arms around Lorelai as both women squeal.  
  
The house wasn't silent until well past three o'clock the next morning and that's when Rory slipped out of the bedroom she was once again sharing with Georgia, taking Jess' book with her into the kitchen. Opening the first page she reads the words written there in an unstable hand:  
  
July 19th,   
  
My physical therapist thinks that writing will help me regain motor skills so I am now required to write in this stupid thing. But if I have to write in it I might as well write in it about the one thing I can't talk to anyone about...Rory. It's been two weeks since she left, she's found an apartment in the city and she doesn't plan on coming back this summer. But the words from her note haunt me when I have nothing else to occupy myself, which is more and more as Luke has to spend more time overseeing the preparations for the diner to be rebuilt.  
  
The entry ended there and there weren't many entries in the book, but the ones that were there all seemed to focus on her in their short words. But the finally one was the one that made the tears slip slowly down Rory's cheek as her heart, that had been broken and pieced back together so many times, broke once more.   
  
November 18th,  
  
Rory isn't coming for Thanksgiving, not that I blame her, but she says she has to work and will be sending Georgia. Which is just as well I suppose, since I know that there is to much between us for me to tell her that I've come to terms with the secrets and I don't know how to tell her that I don't need another baby to be happy with her...  
  
Rory has to stop reading then the tears have flooded her eyes and slowly as she thinks over his words before slipping into a sound sleep on the kitchen table. When she wakes up everything is a whirlwind as they prepare to take everything over to the inn in preparation for the ceremony that goes off with out a single problem. Reverend Skinner willingly preformed the duties quickly skipping over the question in regards to anyone finding a reason for the two to not marry with the comment that after what had to have been two decades noone should find a reason to protest. The entire ceremony is all a blur to Rory who's eyes keep darting between her mother and Luke and Jess who is on the other side of Luke unwilling to make eye contact with Rory.  
  
After the ceremony everyone gathers around table that was really several tables pushed together to form a horseshoe shape and with a few changes Rory purposely places herself by Jess. Rory thinks that sitting at the of one of the tables will give them some privacy to talk about Lane, Teague, Dean, and Hanna all sit around them keeping Rory purposely immersed in their conversation. But in-between dinner and dessert Rory stands up and quickly excuses herself, catching Jess' eye along the way.  
  
"I need to use the rest room." Jess lies standing up several minutes after Rory.  
  
"Jess wait," Dean grabs Jess' arm.  
  
"Dean," Jess eyes flash a warning.  
  
"Just don't hurt her again." Dean requests softly.  
  
For once Jess and Dean have reached an understand and Jess nods, "I won't, not this time."  
  
Lane smiles, "then go get her."  
  
Jess immediately knows where to go, the rose garden at the inn was where they used to meet before they had announced to everyone that they were back together. Standing outside the high bushes that leave the rose garden secluded Jess takes a deep breath and leans the cane against the thick bush and with a slightly limp walking into the secluded area he finds Rory sitting on the bench in the middle of the roses.  
  
"I didn't know how to tell you." Rory whispers, unwilling to look up at Jess. "I had hurt you so much by then that I couldn't do it again."  
  
Jess gently lays his hand of Rory's and he responds, "I understand why you did it the way you did. But what I don't understand is why you left."  
  
Rory looks up at Jess quickly then and his eyes lock onto hers, "you want something I'll never be able to give you Jess, I can't have the baby you want."  
  
Jess gently touches Rory's face then, running his thumb over her cheek, "maybe I want a baby with you Rory, but I need you more than a baby. I want to be with you every day for the rest of my life and nothing is going to change that." Rory's chin quivers at his words and Jess gently runs the bad of his thumb across her lips.  
  
"What now?" Rory her voice is barely a whisper. "With our history..."  
  
"Despite our history we are both here tonight," Jess points out, "we always come back to each other Rory, no matter what we've put each other through. But it all comes down to if you are willing to try this again, because if you're not then I think it's time for me to walk away from Stars Hollow permanently."  
  
Rory swallows hard, "I'm willing to try again."  
  
Jess kisses Rory then and it's sweeter than she had ever remembered it being the romance is interrupted though by a noise from behind the bushes, "eew! Rory is kissing Jess!"  
  
Both Rory and Jess' gaze flies to the entrance to see Georgia standing there staring at them, "Georgia, come here."  
  
Obediently Georgia scampers over to the two looking between them as Rory asks, "Georgia what would you think if we made Jess a part of our life?"  
  
Georgia thinks for a minute, "is he gonna live with us in New York? 'Cause our apartment is really really small."  
  
Jess and Rory exchange glances and Jess responds, "we haven't actually thought about it."  
  
"Well, I guess it's all right." Georgia shrugs and then slyly she asks, "what if we lived in Stars Hollow and got our own house, not Lorelai's house cause Luke's gonna live with her now. Lorelai said that Stars Hollow is a good place to live and raise a kid, and I'm a kids."  
  
"What do you think?" Rory asks Jess, "you to help me raise Georgia in Stars Hollow?"  
  
"I wouldn't miss it." Jess kisses Rory again and Georgia squeals, this was all Rory needed.  
  
It's a long chapter but I figured you wouldn't have a problem with it...Well I hope you enjoyed this little story of mine! Please review it means a lot 


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